Lost
by squigle.x
Summary: My name is Dakota Costello. I am the youngest black shirt in the history of CHERUB, on my second mission to Moscow Russia I was lost, abandoned by those I call family. This is my story. UPDATE: I am continuing the sequel here. LATER CHAPTERS RATED M.
1. Lost

CHERUB  
>Agent: fourteen-o-seven<p>

Those are the two pieces of information that I need to get back to my old life. A life which I was used to.

I was an agent, like every other person at CHERUB. I joined when I was six, when my parents were murdered and they picked me up from a foster home. My sister was four years older, and as soon as she stepped onto CHERUB campus she was sent into Basic Training. I didn't hear from her in 88 days, until she turned up in my room which I shared with my best friend Kerry. She had left Basic Training and said she was leaving CHERUB; I didn't want to leave and stayed while my sister left and moved in with our Auntie. I tried to keep in touch but she never replied to my letters or emails. I had lost what part of my family I had.

When I was ten I entered Basic Training, just like my sister had. Kerry and I were a team, until Bruce dislodged her knee. I still haven't quite forgiven him. I ended up having to pair up with Bruce Norris, I believe he purposely damaged Kerry's knee to be with me. He was okay, we looked out for each other and we did until my life at CHERUB ended.

As soon as I was out of Basic Training and back in the warmth of the English temperatures, which were a deal better than the Norwegian ones. I was sent off on my first mission. I had to infiltrate a mega drug dealer's family. It was going fine until they picked up on what was happening and beat up my mission controller and drugged me. I woke up in a Warehouse, I couldn't make sense of my surroundings due to the drugs they had put in me. They kept the dosage up until I was able to get my brain in order. I spent a week locked up in some warehouse in the middle of the Irish countryside. I managed to make friends with one of the guards, his name was Mike. He helped me get out of the warehouse and hid me in a store cupboard so that the drug could wear off. I managed to sneak in and take down all ten men. I killed one. A bullet through his head. I never found out what happened to Mike, he was never found. I used to have nightmares about the murder. I still do but they aren't as bad anymore. I rang CHERUB and they picked me up and placed me in a hospital until I was fully un-drugged, and to make sure there were no long term effects. After that I became the youngest ever in the history of CHERUB to have a black shirt. I found it kind of embarrassing.  
>You are probably wondering, how the hell did I end up away from that perfect life? About two months later I went on a mission to Moscow Russia, where we had to infiltrate one of the many arms dealers in the country. Amy and I had a USB of the evidence which we had got from breaking into the bad guys house. Amy managed to abseil off the balcony to join her with our mission controller Ewart. I never made it to the car. I got captured.<br>Tortured for information, I almost broke, almost told them about CHERUB.

My name is Dakota Costello, I am fifteen and this is my story.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**Hope you enjoyed my redo of The Missing Agent. Well its sort of technically the same story, though I tweaked it a little :)**

**Five reviews and I will update :D**

**x**


	2. Found

**A/N:**

**Just like the missing agent I will do all Russian in Italics so that you don't get confused:)**

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><p>I walk through the thick snow of Aero City settle in the shadows of a rundown building; my target is in front of me. He is sitting huddled next to the convenience store. The usual skate boarders are making a noise in a deserted car park. My target suddenly gets up and follows a young woman in a classic Russian fur hat and leather jacket. I stay behind in the shadows as the boarders pick up their things and follow my target. I trail behind him and the boarders, I follow them to another deserted car park. My asset is lying moaning into the snow while the skate boarders are beating him up.<p>

"ой вы!" I shout across to the boys, the Russian rolling off my tongue with ease.

They stop what they are doing and turn to face me; I put on my best I-will-kill-you expression.

"_What do you want_?" Joe asks.

"_Mate, do you know who she is_?" a small voice from the back of the crowd says.

"_Oh, uh.._." The leader Joe stumbles over his words. I guess word has gotten around about my reputation.

"_Scram_." I growl, stepping up to the leader. He stumbles backwards and flicks his wrist, ordering his minions to follow him.

They scamper away and I make sure they are gone before I turn to my target who is lying in a bleeding crumpled heap.

"_Get up_." I say.

He rolls into a sitting position and runs a hand through the blonde hair which is stuck to his forehead with blood. "_I can't_" he mutters in terrible Russian.

I sigh heavily before steadying myself in the ankle deep snow and lifting him to his feet. He slumps heavily against mw as I lead him to the awaiting car which has pulled to a stop in the car park.

I push my target into the back of the vehicle before clambering in after him. The warm air comes as a relief to my numb fingers.

"James!" Eric says from behind the steering wheel.

"Slava?" the British boy James asks.

"Call me Eric." he says.

"What are you doing?"

"I work for the CIA, have been for the past twenty years. I was working on breaking the Obidin's, and have been for the past three years. Sadly you and CHERUB turned up and messed up everything." Eric says simply, tearing his gaze from the icy roads to look at James.

James glances at me with alarm. "You shouldn't speak so openly!"

Eric chuckles. " Oh don't worry my boy, she doesn't speak a word of English. Knows pretty much most European languages for that fact."

If only he knew.

James visibly relaxes at this news. "So how did a CIA operative like you end up with her?"

"That is a long story. I picked her up in Moscow, little bugger tried to con me. Almost worked. But I saw past it, just some girl off the street searching for a way out of this country. I gave her a deal. She does my dirty work, snooping, the likes and I find her an opportunity to get out of this country."

"That's one hell of story." James mutters glancing sideways at me.

"Yeah, I'll patch you up and then find you a way to get home. I will finally be able to see my little girls." Eric sighs wistfully as we pull up outside the block of flats which have been my home for the past three years.

Eric patches James up while I make a light dinner. Once James is settled on the couch I hand him the satellite phone and he rings CHERUB. Eric leaves soon after to make an appearance at work before he is questioned about his absence. I scrape up what few belongings I have into a small back pack and place it by the front door.

"_You glad to leave this country?_" James asks in Russian.

"_Yes_." I reply walking over sitting on the opposite couch.

He nods and stares at his hands.

"_Your accent is terrible_." I say.

"_I know. I've only been learning Russian a little while._"

"_Same with Italian. But listening to lots of CDs has helped."_

"_Why don't you learn English?"_

"_Eric doesn't want me too. I guess he doesn't want me to understand his hushed conversations."_

"_Well have you learnt any English_." James asks. _"In your spare time I mean. Do you have spare time?"_

"_No_." I lie, staring hard at him. I don't trust the flat. It could be bugged.

**oOoOo**

It is nearing the dark side of twilight when we near the private airstrip, my ticket home. I am given a wheel chair which I help James into before pushing him across the icy surface towards the little shack where we are greeted by two retired navy officers. Eric goes off into another room with the couple while I lean against the radiator, twisting the USB around in my fingers.

"_You nervous?"_James asks from opposite me.

"Yes." I reply, placing a strong Russian accent over the familiar English words.

James gapes at me in shock. "You speak English! So you have been learning it!"

"A little." I say returning to Russian. "_I have been teaching myself, so that when I arrive in Britain or America I can understand others."_

"_Why did you lie to me before_?"

"_I don't trust Eric._"

"_Then why are you telling me this? I could be more untrustworthy than him."_

I smirk at him. "_Well I know I can trust you. There are some things you don't know about yourself."_

"_Like what?"_

"_Doesn't matter."_

James starts to question me until I turn away and stare at the carpet. We sit in silence until we hear the roar of plane engines. I leap to my feet as Eric comes out of the other room.

"_Let's get moving people, we don't have much time._" he says clapping his hands and walking out the door.

I push James outside and the cold winds hit me hard and I struggle to keep the wheel chair in check as I jog steadily across the ice.

Before us a figure leaps off the cargo plane and greets Eric with a handshake. I recognise him and I stifle a gasp of relief with a cough.

"James! Everyone has been so worried. Especially Lauren." Ewart says clapping James on the shoulder.

"Am I glad to see you." James says happily.

"Well we aren't out the water just yet. You'll have to give a statement when we get back."

I stand in the background as Ewart turns to Eric and to discuss the journey. I help James out the wheel chair and he leans against me as the plane nears.

"Let's go. Here's the plan. Eric and..." Ewart turns to face me.

"Dakota." I choke out.

"Dakota will help you onto the plane, and then the rest of us will get on."

The moment arrives in a gust of snow as the plane slows as it passes us. Eric and I push James into the aircrafts open hatch, he falls inside before turning back to help us. Eric clambers in after him.

"_You go next_." Ewart says in terrible Russian as he stares at me.

The plane is gradually picking up speed. "_No you go, you're more important."_

Ewart nods and jogs alongside the plane before leaping inside. I am soon sprinting alongside the aircraft.

James and Ewart help lift me over the side. I'm almost in when Eric tries pushing me out.

"What are you doing?" Ewart yells over the roar of the engines.

"I don't trust her!" Eric shouts back.

My grip on the plane loosens as Eric shoves me backwards. Ewart tries stopping Eric but the CIA officer is no match for him.

"Hold on!" James shouts somewhere from in front of me. Black splotches fill my vision as my one arm strains to hold me up. With my last ounce of strength I reach for the USB in my pocket and place it in Ewart's hand.

"Give that to Mac." I shout in English, James reaches for my hand as I let go, but the momentum of the plane lifting off the ground is no use and I fall backwards. Bringing James with me. We hit the icy ground as the plane lifts off.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**Like it yet? Please review, if you review mine. I will review yours. Simples.**


	3. Replaced

James rolled onto his back and sat up, the snow was seeping into his jeans but he didn't mind. All he could think about was the fact that he was stuck in Russia with a girl who somehow knew Mac. The girl moaned from the ground beside him.

"You okay?" he asked standing up and trying to wipe the worst of the slush of his jeans.

The girls bright blue eyes bore into him. Something in the back of his mind was nagging him. She seemed familiar, that he had seen her before somewhere. "Fine." she said standing up.

James glanced at the night sky. "What do we do now, wait?"

The girl snorted. "Not unless you want to spend your time waiting in a prison cell."

"And how can you be so sure? You aren't supposed to speak English." he muttered.

"Firstly never believe anything anyone says. That's what was wrong with Eric. Secondly, I have spent the pat four years in this country. I know the ropes." she said walking down the unlit air strip.

"Maybe that navy couple will help us." James said glancing back at the small building.

"No can do. Can't trust anyone, except me."

"And how can I trust you. Is your name even Dakota?"

The girl spun round to face him, her blue eyes flashing and long blck hair whipping in the wind. "My name is Dakota, and you have to trust me."

"Why."

"You don't need an explanation yet. All we need to do is get you to CHERUB." she said.

James jogged slightly to catch up with the girl and he fell in line with her. They walked in silence until they reached the end of the property.

Dakota vaulted over the electric fence with ease and didn't wait for James. He quickly tried to warm his hands before vaulting over, he lost his balance on the landing and slipped into the snow.

"You okay?" Dakota asked turning back to check on James.

"Yeah fine." he mumbled standing up and following Dakota to a mound of snow.

"Here it is. My beauty."

James glanced at the mound of snow. "What is it?"

"Motorbike." she reached into the snow and pulled a blue tarpaulin to the side to reveal a Translap 600

James grinned. "Is that a Translap 600?"

"Yep." Dakota said as James reached forwards. "And no touching."

"Why would someone leave an old bike like this out in the snow?"

"That would be me. It is hard wearing and good on the ice. I kept it here just in case."

James nodded as he reached down and picked up the two helmets. Dakota dragged the bike out of the thick snow and began wheeling it towards the road. The snow covered trees swayed and whistled in the wind as they trudged past.

"You by any chance have a hat?" James asked once they had reached the icy road.

"Stop whining." Dakota muttered reaching into the compartment beneath the seat and pulling out a beanie. He slipped on the beanie and then the helmet. Dakota did the same before climbing onto the bike.

"Get on. We don't have all day." she said revving the engine. James glanced at the sky once more before climbing on behind Dakota.

**oOoOo**

Ewart stood before his wife's office door. He could hear Mac inside muttering something about too many photos. He breathed in a deep sigh before pushing the door open.

Lauren and Kerry were sat on a leather couch clutching each others hand by a warm fire, Mac was sat in an armchair whilst Zara was stood in front of the fire.

"The news?" Zara asked turning to face her husband.

"James is still alive." he said glancing down at the relieved sister and girlfriend.

"Where is he then?" Lauren asked standing up. "He's not outside is he? I hate surprises!"

"Uh..." Ewart started as he turned to face his wife. "James is somewhere in Russia, alive."

"What!" Kerry gasped as Lauren slumped to the ground crying.

"How did this happen?" Mac asked. "And why am I here?"

"Well, James got picked up by a CIA operative who had a helper. They patched him up and got to him to the airport." he said pulling up a chair and sitting down.

"Carry on." Zara said scribbling on a piece of paper.

"James was on the airplane. So was the CIA operative, and myself. The young girl who was with the CIA operative was getting on the plane and the man turned, pushed her out rhe plane. James tried helping her. They fell out. We took off." he said.

"Oh..." Kerry burst into tears.

"So who was this CIA operative?" Zara asked.

"Eric. We have him held in the staff room down the hall."

"And this girl?"

Ewart smiled to himself. "It took me a while to place the name with the face." he paused, and pulled the USB stick out of his pocket. "Agent fourteen-o-seven. Believed dead on mission to Moscow, my mission. Youngest black shirt in the history of CHERUB, Dakota Costello."

"What?" Kerry choked looking up at Ewart with puffy red eyes. "You're telling me she's still alive?"

"Yes. She is in Russia with James and I hope they will manage to contact us again." He said.

"My brother is with THE Dakota Costello?" Lauren murmured from her place on the ground.

"Yes." Ewart said turning to face Mac and holding the USB stick. "She gave me this, said to give this to you."

Mac took the USB stick and walked round to the computer. Everyone followed and stood round.

"This could be all we need to take down Silikov Industries." Mac murmured.

Mac opened the USB file to reveal twenty icons. He clicked on the first icon but instead of word appearing the screen went blank.

"What just happened?" Lauren asked staring at the screen.

"She was a computer whizz. There is no telling what she can do now." Kerry murmured.

Dakota's face filled the screen and she reached forwards to adjust the camera.

"She's pretty." Lauren noted.

"Shhh!" Zara whispered.

"Hello." Dakota said, a light layering of a Russian accent covered her words. "Whoever is watching this, well done for getting it. Either I have given it to you or you took it from me. This USB contains evidence which only Mac can access." she paused as a crash resounded through the background.

"This USB can only be opened by voice recognition of Mac." she said glancing round and looking worried. "If you don't know the password or you aren't Mac you will have three tries before a virus will take over this USB and your computer. "

The screen went blank and in its place appeared a question. Knock knock.

"That's easy. Who's there?" Lauren said. The screen went red and said access denied.

Zara motioned for Lauren to be quiet and everyone stared at Mac. He was staring at the screen scratching his beard.

"I'm here." Mac said. The computer flashed red and said access denied.

Kerry gasped and whispered something in Mac's ear. "You sure?" he murmured. Kerry nodded and stood back.

"Use the door bell. No one knocks these days."

They all held their breath and watched the screen. Access granted the voice said and all the files showed up before them.

"Use the doorbell?" Lauren said. "How does that work?"

"She always had a thing against knocking as everyone now has a door bell." Kerry sighed.

"Girl's why don't you go tell people the news, and get Amy in here." Zara said leading the two girls to the office door.

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><p><strong>AN**

**Like it? Review and I will update. Simples.**

**X**


	4. Begin

**Two weeks later**

I wake up to sunlight streaming in through a partially open curtain, I groan and roll over.

"What time is it?" I mumble shielding my eyes with my arm.

"It's about two thirty." James says.

"What?" I sit up and rub the sleep out of my eyes, James is sitting on his bed flicking through different channels on the TV.

"We only just made it to the room before you fell asleep, you've been out of it ever since."

"Why didn't you wake me! We should have crossed the Russian border by now!" I exclaim throwing off the duvet and leaping out of bed.

"No need to get your knickers in a twist! We have plenty of time."

"No we don't we need passports, visas, everything!" I grab my clothes and stride into the bathroom. I have quick shower and wash worst of the past days grime off before hurriedly getting changed. I step out of the bathroom to find James still flicking through TV channels aimlessly.

I sigh heavily before walking to the TV and pulling the worn cable out of the plug socket.

"What the hell!" James cries. "I was watching that!"

I turn to face him scowling. "If you want to get back, we need supplies-"

"-you still haven't told me about how you know CHERUB!" James cuts in.

"And you will shut up and come with me to buy those supplies."

I put on my shoes, jacket, scarf, gloves and beanie before snatching up my wallet and hotel keys. I stop by the door and glance back at James who is still sprawled across the bed. "You coming?"

He sighs heavily, grumbles something unintelligent before slipping on shoes and a jacket I had bought him back at the last town. He walks past me and I shut and lock the door behind him.

We take a short walk through the snow to a small convenience store and by the time we arrive my teeth are chattering and my lips turning blue.

"Why is it so bloody cold?" James sighs stepping inside the warm store.

"_Just is_." I say switching to Russian, I know that if anyone hears James or mine British accent it will cause heads to turn.

I walk down various isles, collecting different food and drinks and placing them in the basket which is slung across James's arm.

"_Now for the fun part_." I say reaching for a packet of blonde hair dye and inspecting the packet. "_You should probably go black_." I muse holding a different carton next James's head and tilting my head slightly.

James scowls at me and I smile in return. "_I am loving this no speaking thing_!" I whisper.

He growls and snatches the hair dye out of my hands and places it in the basket before marching towards the till.

I open the packets of hair dye and pour the black dye into the specified bottle, I give it a quick shake before passing it over to James.

"Scrub it evenly through your hair, until it foams." I say ripping open my own packet of hair dye.

"I still don't see why I couldn't go brown?" James says as he scrubs the liquid through his hair.

Once we both have foamy heads we place the shower caps on our heads. "Now we have to wait." I say switching the countdown timer on my phone.

James settles down on his bed and starts to flick through the channels before settling on a soccer match between Man United and Birmingham City.

"You like soccer?" I ask reaching for the mini laptop in my bag.

"It's called football and yes I do." he says. "The Americans say soccer."

"Ugh, same difference." I sigh turning on the laptop.

"Where are you from?" James asks not tearing his eyes from the screen.

"Why should I tell you?"

"We have been travelling together for the past two weeks and if I have to trust you, then I should at least know where you are from." he says glancing over at me.

"Fine, I'm from New Zealand." I say changing my accent back to the familiarity of the kiwi one.

"Cool, how did you end up here?"

I frown at the screen; I had been expecting that question. "That I can't tell you."

James sighs and returns his attention back to the screen.

I connect to the internet by hacking through the hotels feeble attempt at disabling the internet until you paid. I search for the Russian visa site and after a few false sites I hit the jackpot. I flex my fingers and glance at the timer on my phone. Only half an hour to hack into the server and print off two perfectly good visas. I grin to myself as I mentally accept the challenge. After a couple of clicks I the screen is black and I am hurriedly tapping in various javascript codes.

The sound of the alarm breaks my train of thought and I stare at the screen as I try to grasp it.

"I'll go wash this dye out." James says, I nod but don't tear my eyes from the screen.

Within ten minutes I have successfully saved two visas for James Volkof and Anastasia Solcova which are ready to print, and I covered my tracks.

James walls back into the room with dry black hair. "Your turn."

"Suits you." I note.

"Whatever." he grumbles.

I wash my hair, turning the water at my feet a dull yellow colour. I step out the bathroom a blonde, and its not the first time.

"Suits you." James says.

"I know." I say. "Go stand with your back to that wall."

"Why?" James asks from his place on the bed.

I sigh and grab my camera. "Just do it."

James stands up and walks over to the wall and faces me. I take a photo and check it in the preview. "Not bad."

"Can I see?" James asks.

"In a second, take my photo."

I switch places with James and he snaps my picture. I take the camera and plug it into the computer. James hovers beside me.

"Why don't you go to the printer? I have just sent something. Type three, two, seven and it should print off to visas."

"Righty-ho." James leaves the room as I get to work on creating the two European passports.

By the time James is back I have created two British Passports, with both out photos in. He passes me the crisp paper and I fold it a couple times until it looks worn.

"Ready to move out?" I ask placing the visas inside the passports and walking over to my bag.

"Of course." James says.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**Thanks to all you amazing people who have reviewed! :DDD**

**Italics is Russian again :)**

**Review and I will update!**


	5. Confusion

**Minsk, Belarus**

**Three weeks later**

I walk through the dark bar, gazing at all the faces I pass. None of them were familiar. I heave a sigh of annoyance and I continue to search. I sweep the building twice until I come to the final decision that James had left.

I zip up my coat and mentally prepare myself for the cold blast of wind. The snow sparkles in the lights of the pub as I step outside and look around. No one. I take great care in keeping to the gritted paths as I head back towards the hotel. Snow starts to fall by the time I reach the correct street and I pull my hood up to stop my hair from getting wet.

The hotel greets me with warm air as I hurry inside.

"_Evening_." I say to the man at the desk. "_You seen my boyfriend?_"

The man behind the desk just stares at me not saying a word. I stare at him for a moment before heading to the lift and pressing the button. Something wasn't right, the man behind the desk always joked about James and I. The usual music plays as I watch the numbers blink on the screen. Three floors. Two floors. One floor. There is a ping and the doors slide open. And I find myself face to face with the not very nice end of a gun.

"_Don't make a sound_." the heavily built man with a gruff voice says. I nod and step carefully out of the lift. The man presses the gun to the back of my head as he pushes me down the hall.

Every bit of detail seems to be enhanced and I note the peeling wall paper, the fraying carpet, rattling heaters and the fire escape beneath a window. Adrenaline is coursing through my veins and I am on high alert.

The man pushes me inside James and ours room. The room is the same except James is tied to a chair with a swollen purple eye and a bloody lip. His eyes register my presence but he doesn't attempt to speak.

A man steps out of the bathroom and gazes at us. Vladmir Obiden. He grins down at me.

"_You won't talk, but maybe you will now_?" Vladmir says addressing James.

James looks between Vladmir and me in alarm. Don't worry, I mouth.

"_James you have three seconds to answer this question, or I place this_," Vladmir holds up a piece of metal which was resting on the heater. "_on her_."

I hold my breath.

"_Who do you work for_?" he asks.

James glances between Vladmir and me.

"_Three_."

I shake my head vigorously.

"_Two._"

James looks like he is going to be sick.

"_One_."

I clench my teeth in pain as the burning hot rod is pressed against my arm. My eyes water and I try not to scream. Images from my time in Russia fill my mind, as I am reminded of the pain I went through then.

"_STOP!_" James shouts.

Vladmir lifts the rod off my arm and I gasp in relief, my arm throbs and when I glance down my skin is already forming a burn.

"_Are you going to answer me now_?" Vladmir asks sceptically.

"_Torture me instead_." James says.

I snort sarcastically. "_Don't be such an idiot_!"

"I'm not, I'm the problem." he insists.

"I was tortured before, I can withstand the pain. I won't break!" I exclaim in French and praying past my hopes that James learnt French. He is silent for a moment until understanding dawns in his eyes.

"_What did she say_?" Vladmir shouts at his men.

The one by James looks at the ground. "_I don't know sir_." the other nods in agreement.

"_What do you mean you don't know?_" Vladmir bellows in outrage. He turns his attention to me. "_What did you say_?"

"_That you're a cow's arse whose eyes are too close together_." James stifles a laugh and Vladmir's eyes glow with rage.

"_Excuse me_?" he spits drawing his hand back and knocking the butt of the gun against my face. My jaw explodes in pain as a crack resounds through the silent room. Black spots cover my vision as the room begins to fade. I try shake off the unconsciousness which is taking over my body, but it's a hopeless struggle. The last thing I hear is Vladmir yelling at me to answer him.

Sunlight penetrates my eyelids and for a blissful moment I feel as if I'm lying in bed in my room in CHERUB, the only worry is whether or not I will beat Bruce in a fight, that thought is shattered as aching pain covers the whole of my body.

I blink rapidly and try to lift my head but it causes stars to explode in front of my eyes and I rest my head back down groaning in pain.

"Dakota!" a voice hisses.

I open one eye to see James knelt beside me. "Hhmm?" I murmur.

"We need to go now, I subdued the guard and Vladmir is in the room opposite with the other guard."

"Okay." I say closing my eyes.

"Get up." James hisses.

"My brain hurts, is that even possible?"

"Look here, take my hand and let's go." James takes my hand hauls me to my feet. My body screams in pain.

"What happened?"

"I'll explain later." James mutters. I stumble slightly and put more weight on James as we leave the room.

"Wait." I say grabbing the door frame.

"What?" James asks sharply.

I pat his cheek and smile. "Don't worry!" I stumble back into the room and grab the silenced pistol from the unconscious man; I wrap my swollen hand round the gun, take aim and shoot. I hit him in the back of the head.

"What the fu-" James gasps running into the room. I turn on the ball of my foot and face him; I draw the gun up and point it at him. I place all my concentration into not curling up on the floor and giving into the pain. At the sight of the gun James stops in his tracks.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**Were you expecting that? I don't know what is with all these regular updates...my brain is just buzzing with ideas! Thanks for the reviews, and if you review I will update! :)**

******Russian in Italics, at least I think they speak Russian in Belarus :)**


	6. Truth

James stood still staring at the gun through his good eye which was pointed at him. He didn't know what to do as a million thoughts passed through his mind; he thought he could trust her. James wanted to prolong his death and try distracting her.

"You don't have to do is." James said taking a step forward and not taking his gaze of Dakota.

She stared at him, her blue eyes boring into him. "You won't be able to distract me you know."

James watched her, her hand wasn't even trembling. "Well you figured that out." he said.

She shrugged and then winced. "I know."

"You're still hurt."

"Well duh."

"What are you waiting for?" James asked.

"Them."

James heard the sound of the door opening behind him and the sound of footsteps; he didn't dare take his eyes off Dakota.

"_Well done_." Vladmir said walking past James and sitting on the corner of the bed. "_Sorry about earlier._"

"_No problem_." she said.

"You work for him!" James exclaimed glancing between Vladmir and Dakota.

She didn't reply, only lifted one eye brow slightly. The other guard pushed past James, knocking him to his feet. He hit the ground hard.

"_Get up_." Dakota said loading the gun which gave a sharp click.

James dragged himself to his feet. "_I trusted you_." he spat.

"I _know, but there is no need to get sentimental._" she muttered. "_Can I kill him now_?"

"_Yes, we couldn't extract any information out of him last night. He won't speak now._" Vladmir said crossing his legs and resting his hand on his head.

Dakota nodded and walked towards James, who in turn swallowed heavily. There was no escape, two possibly three armed people with no mercy.

Dakota pressed the gun against the back of James's head. "On the count of three, duck," she whispered into his ear. Shivers slid down his back as he felt her breath against his neck. He cleared his throat in response.

"One, two, three." James ducked to the floor as he heard the silenced click of the gun as two shots were fired and to thuds followed shortly after. "They're dead."

James stood up and looked round, the guard was slumped against the wall with blood trickling out of a gaping hole in his forehead; the contents of his head were splattered against the wall. There was a choking sound from the bed and James snapped his head round. Vladmir was bleeding from a gunshot wound to his chest. James's heart plummeted as his eyes took in the gun pointed at him; Vladmir's hand shook as he struggled to breathe. He closed his eyes as the gun clicked into place. There was the silenced bang of a gun, he expected his chest to explode in pain as the bullet passed through but instead there was nothing. He opened his eyes slowly to see Vladmir sprawled across the bed, his blood staining the white sheets red.

There was a thud, and James turned his head to see Dakota slumped against the wall her eyes closed.

"You okay?" he asked stepping towards her cautiously as she still held the gun.

"That was way too close." she murmured.

"What was that?" James asked walking over to the second dead guard and taking his gun, he relaxed slightly as he held the cold metal in his hands at the thought of extra protection.

"Vladmir knew your face; I knew it was only a matter of time before he found us. I rang them up, made a deal, and said I would give them our location for ten grand. He sent his men to scout the location, he came shortly after." she paused and took a shaky breath. "It wasn't in the deal for him to torture you or me, but then again, you can't trust anyone. He walked into my trap. I killed him, and got the money. All part of the plan."

"The plan?" James spluttered.

"Sorry if they hurt you."

"You almost shot me! I thought I could trust you!" James shouted stalking towards her.

She didn't even open her eyes. "You can."

"Trust is where you tell each other everything."

Dakota sighed and opened her eyes and stared up at him. "If I had told you, Vladmir would've seen through it. Now help me up and let's get out of here before his back up come." she said shifting to her knees. "The money is under the sink, and there's a fire escape down the hall."

James reached forwards and helped her to her feet. He left her slumped against the wall and took the brown envelope out from under the sink. Let's go." he said wrapping am arm round her waist.

"You trust me still, right?" she asked leaning on him.

"Not one bit." he growled.

"Shame."

They walked down the hall in silence until they reached the fire escape. James propped Dakota against the wall before opening the window and stepping onto the fire escape. Dakota followed shortly after. The metal was slippery beneath James's feet and he stumbled a few times, with the weight of Dakota leaning on him as well. They reached the motor bike within ten minutes as they kept on stopping for Dakota to regain her breath.

"I'm afraid to say. You're in no fit state to drive." James said handing Dakota a helmet before slipping on his own.

"Guess you're right." she said doing it up. "What did happen though, after I passed out? My back kills."

"Vladmir used his belt on your back, tried to make me break. I didn't though."

"Good."

James got onto the bike as the bike came to life. Dakota got on after, wrapping her arms round his waist.

"Try not to fall asleep, don't want you falling off." James said.

"Whatever." Dakota mumbled resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes.

"Don't get too comfortable." James said.

"Shut up. Your shoulder is knobbly anyways."

**oOoOo**

Kerry sat next to Lauren in Zara's office. A few beams of light penetrated the grey clouds and the once heavy rain had slowed to a light drizzle.

"So glad I wasn't on the obstacle course in that weather." Kerry said. Lauren and herself had become closer over the past few months, as both were worried about James.

"Yeah, I had math. Anything is better than math." Lauren agreed.

"Even if it means bad news about James?" she asked glancing over at James's little sister, the only similarity of the two was their hair and eyes.

"Maybe not." Lauren said. "You think he's okay?"

"Of course, I mean. Dakota is strong. She may not look it but she is. She wasn't the youngest black shirt for nothing."

"I heard form Bethany, who heard form Gabrielle that Dakota is the only person who has ever beat Bruce in a fight, is that true?" Lauren asked tucking a lock of blonde hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, Bruce was gutted when she went missing. And then even more when they announced she was dead." Kerry muttered wiping her eyes quickly with her sleeve.

"Did they go to Russia? Try and find her?"

"Yes, seven times in the space of a year. They announced her dead in action."

"Oh."

"Good morning girls." Zara said walking into the room and placing a pile of paper on her desk.

"Any news?" Lauren asked.

"Yes and no." Zara sighed.

"Tell us then!" Kerry said leaning forward and placing her hands on the desk.

"There has been a murder in Minsk Belarus. Vladmir Obiden and two of his guards." Zara said rifling through some of the papers.

"So?" Lauren said.

"Do you think its Dakota and James?" Kerry asked.

Zara sighed heavily and sat back in her chair. "We can't be sure; there were many people who wanted Vladmir dead. The people who were staying in the room where they were found was Harry Wilkinson and Charlotte Garland, a young couple staying in the city for the weekend."

"Yes?" Lauren asked.

"I have a photo of the two from the CCTV, it's blurry but I think it could be them." She passed Kerry the photos and Lauren leaned over.

The photo was of a girl with light hair and a boy with darker hair, the girls head was bent with her hair falling into her face obscuring her features as if she knew the cameras were there. Meanwhile the boy was staring to his left.

"That's James!" Lauren gasped snatching the photo out of Kerry's hand and staring at it intently.

"Have you sent someone out there?" Kerry asked.

Zara nodded. "Ewart and Amy are over there at the moment, but knowing Dakota she would already be as far away from the scene as possible."

"Typical." Kerry muttered grinning. It was the first time in weeks since she had felt truly happy.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Well hello, **

**Hope you enjoyed that and it wasn't terribly rushed and stuff...Please review it and I will update!:)**

**Russian is in Itallics...**


	7. Execute

**Minsk, Belarus.**

Ewart pulled his coat close around him as he stepped out of the car and onto the pavement. Amy stood beside him.

"This the place?" she asked. Ewart nodded studying the hotel before them, it wasn't old and run down it was a five star hotel. The white brick building blended into the snow as it towered into the dark sky.

"I would have thought she would go for a crummy hotel." he said.

"Maybe she did the opposite on purpose, to not attract attention?" Amy mused walking through the automatic doors.

A man with cropped brown hair stood behind the desk, he greeted them with a smile. "_How are you_?"

"_Ewart Asker. MI6_." he said in rusty Russian, flashing a badge in his face.

"Did _you know Harry Wilkinson and Charlotte Garland_?" Amy asked smiling reassuringly at the panicked man behind the desk. Ewart wasn't helping as he stared at the man unblinking.

"_Yes._" he said messing with some papers nervously.

"_What were they like?"_

"_Uh...Harry didn't speak much, when he did though he had a British accent. Charlotte did all the talking, she had a southern Minsk accent_."

Amy nodded and scribbled down on her note pad. "_You hear where they were headed next?"_

"_No, just headed home_."

"_Okay, thank you_." Amy smiled at the man once more before walking back outside, Ewart close on her heels. Once they were back in the car Amy turned to Ewart. "You know you weren't helping."

"People always break under a stare." Ewart said pulling away from the curb.

"I think you freaked him out a bit." Amy said staring out the window. "Where to now?"

"Hotel, we will stay there until we hear some news." He said concentrating on the road before him.

"You think James will contact CHERUB?" she asked.

"Let's hope so. But from the reports we expect they are heading across Europe."

* * *

><p><strong>oOoOo<strong>

**Warsaw, Poland.****  
><strong>**Three weeks later**

"We have to be discreet." I mutter as I dump my bag on yet another bed in another hotel, in another country.

"Huh?" James asks throwing his bag on the ground and collapsing onto the bed.

"Someone is following us." I say sitting down on the edge of the bed and unlacing my boots.

"Who?"

"It could be the police, Vladmir's men, anyone. It means we have to be careful what we say and do."

James rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling. "That means it could be CHERUB as well?"

"Yeah, could be." I pull off my jacket and jeans and slide into bed.

James is silent continuously staring at the ceiling. I roll over and face him, tucking the duvet neatly under my chin.

"We will get there okay. It just may be some time." I say.

"I know, but why can't we just ring them? Get someone to pick us up? It would be so much easier." James says sitting up and kicking off his boots and socks.

"I guess so, besides we need a secure line to ring them."

James takes off his jeans and t-shirt to reveal some healing cuts on his back from Minsk. "You have a mobile, and don't say it has no credit. I saw you top it up when we crossed into Poland."

He saw that. I mentally kick myself, how did I not do it discreetly. I sigh and close my eyes, "Maybe I'm just not ready to go back to CHERUB just yet."

"And yet another reference to CHERUB and you still won't tell me why." He sighs as he climbs into his bed and turns off the main light. I am submerged in darkness before he turns on the bedside light. He turns to face me, and looks surprisingly sinister in the glow of the little light.

"I will tell you, when I can trust you." I say.

"It seems you already trust me. I mean who would fall asleep quite happily in a hotel room with a strange guy. I could kill you, or steal your thins before running away."

"Touché." I mutter.

He grins at me. "So what's the plan?"

"The rest of the week we'll cross the rest of Poland, stop in Berlin for a day or so. Then carry on across Germany into France. Once in Paris we can get the Eurostar into London."

"Sounds good."

"Good night, we have an early start tomorrow."

"Night." he says reaching over and turning off the light. Once again I am submerged in darkness, instead of being a normal person and falling asleep I stay awake and listen to James's steady breathing as I think about what he said.

* * *

><p><strong>oOoOo<strong>

**Berlin, Germany.**

**One week later**

James watched out the corner of his eye as Dakota moved around the hotel room, unaware he was watching her. He smiled to himself when Dakota took off her top and was stood only in a black bra and underwear. This moment would have been one of his perfect fantasies, alone in a hotel room with a half dressed girl. Except for the fact that she could possibly kill him in fifty different ways, and that her back was all purple and scarred.

Dakota picked up some clean clothes before heading into the bathroom. James stayed in bed until he heard her step into the shower. He knew he only had ten minutes before she turned off the shower and found him, so he got out of bed and crept over to her things. Careful not to mess anything up James checked slowly for the phone, within five minutes he found it in a hidden compartment in the sole of her shoe.

He turned on the phone and found it locked, and the only way to unlock it was with a special pattern. James wracked his brain as he thought back to when she had bought the top up and unlocked the phone. The memory was slightly fuzzy and back then his good eye had been swollen.

After trying an obvious pattern and the phone still being locked, he sat down her bed and rubbed his eyes. Just as he was about to give up he had an idea. Every time they had dinner in a restaurant and were waiting for food Dakota would pour salt onto the table a draw the same pattern over and over again. He drew that pattern on the screen, and with a ping the phone unlocked.

James breathed a sigh of relief and typed in the number for his sisters mobile. He tapped his hand nervously on his knee as the phone rang out. James felt a wave of relief when he heard his sister voice.

"Rat I already told you! Now that we have become an official couple there is no need for you to ring me and tell me every two minutes!" Lauren said.

James throat dried up at the sound of his sister's voice.

"Hello? Rat?"

"It's me." James choked out.

"James!" she shrieked. "Omygod!"

"Look I don't have much time." James said. "I'm in Berlin; we're staying at Radisson Blu hotel."

"Right I will tell Zara, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Lauren asked.

The shower stopped and James looked up at the bathroom door. "Look, I have to go. We're here for another day and then moving on heading on the main highway out of here, be quick."

James deleted the phones history and turned it off, replacing it in the sole of her shoe. He strode across the room and got back into bed just as Dakota entered the room towel drying her hair.

"Morning." Dakota said walking in and sitting down. "I was thinking of mapping out the rest of the journey today."

"What time are we headed out tomorrow?" James asked getting up off the bed and reaching for some clean clothe.

"Early, I don't want to stay in one place too long. Those people following us might catch up." She said grabbing the map out her bag and lying it out across the bed.

"Right. Anyways, I didn't get to ask. How do you know they're following us?" he asked pausing in the bathroom doorway.

"The internet. Everything is on the web."

They were ready to leave by six in the morning the next day. James tried to drag his feet but there was no stopping Dakota once she had a plan.

"Shall I put this in the bike?" James asked holding his bag up along with hers.

"Yeah, I'm just going to check this map once more." Dakota muttered not glancing up form the pale papers.

"Okay." James left the hotel room and jogged down two flights of stairs. He stepped out into the winter air and walked across the road to the bike.

"James." A voice called. James looked up at the car which had pulled over in front of him.

"Amy?" he said bending over and glancing into the car, he saw the familiar face of the older CHERUB agent.

"James, good to see you." Ewart said from the other side of the car.

"How did you get here so fast?" James said as Ewart stopped the car and got out.

"We were in Minsk, and followed your trail." Amy said wrapping her arms round him. "We were so incredibly worried!"

"Where's Dakota?" Ewart asked shoving his hands into his jeans pocket.

James turned to face Ewart shocked. "What? How do you know her?"

"She was the youngest black shirt in the history of CHERUB. Died in action, supposedly." He said.

"What?" James repeated.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Russian is in Italics, wasn't sure if they spoke Russian in Belarus. Guess you peoples do :) **

**Thanks to florida123, wolfegirl, and Gembomz, thanks for reviewing :) **

**Please review **


	8. Terms

"Back." James calls from the room.

"Yeah, just tying up my hair." I call back as I tuck the last few strands of hair into the hair tie. I check all pieces are in place before stepping out into the room. I read my plotted plan off the notebook. "I was thinking we could make detour through Italy throw those people off our trail.

I stop halfway into the room and look up to see Ewart and Amy stood in the room. For a moment I can't breathe and I'm not sure whether I'm hallucinating or not.

"Hey, Dakota." Amy says smiling slightly and taking a step forward. I stay rooted to the spot.

"Thanks for the USB; we were only just able to get through that security question." Ewart says.

I swallow heavily, out of all the dreams I had of returning back to CHERUB none of them were like this. I had always either expected myself to break into campus or have everyone run up and hug me, and I would always speak. Not now, here I was rooted to the spot in some hotel in Germany.

"How come you never told me you were the youngest black shirt ever?" James asks, I had forgotten about him. I turn to face him, and he is stood with his back against the door blocking the only exit.

"You rang them?" I ask glaring at James.

"Maybe." James squeaks.

"Look don't take it out on James, he was only doing what he thought was best." Amy says.

I whirl round to face her, the anger building up inside me. "Don't you tell me what to do! Look where that got me last time I listened to you!" I shout rounding on Amy.

"Woah! Calm down!" Ewart says placing a hand on my shoulder. "I know you're upset."

"You don't know what I'm thinking." I growl shaking off Ewart's hand.

"Sorry." he mutters stepping back so he is leaning against the little table with the room's phone on.

I ball my right hand into a fist while running my left hand through my hair, keeping my stance relaxed. They don't suspect a thing. Amy is watching me with sad eyes, and that just sets me off. She doesn't know what I've gone through these past four, five years. My fist connects with her face and she falls to the ground, but I don't stop there. Four years of pain and misery take their toll and I start kicking Amy.

"Stop!" Ewart shouts wrapping his arms around me and dragging me back.

"Shoot. Amy you okay?" James leaves his post at the door and rushes over.

"You okay?" Ewart asks.

"Yeah, fine." Amy mutters sitting up, she looks up at me.

I glare at her and stop kicking and thrashing against Ewart's grip, after a minute his grip around me loosens as he falls for the bait. I bring my heel up and kick him in the groin, he lets go of me completely.

"Calm down." James says stepping between Amy and I.

"Don't tell me what to do." I say stepping up to him and glaring, he falter's slightly.

"There is no need to take you anger out on anyone." he says.

"Move or I'll hurt you as well."

James eyes me suspiciously, but doesn't move. I sigh heavily before bringing my knee to his groin and my fist to his face.

He collapses to the ground moaning and I step up to Amy who is sat on the ground clutching a bloody nose. "I know you're hurt, but there is no need to act this way." she says calmly.

I reach into the waistband of my jeans pull out the silenced gun from Minsk; I take my time as I load it into place. Ewart stands up and edges towards me slowly.

I point the gun at Amy and she freezes.

"Dakota." Ewart says stepping closer to me and holding his hands up.

"Don't do anything too rash." James chimes in as he steps towards me on my left holding his hands in the air. "Look, we know you got captured on that mission you did with Amy and that you were tortured."

I stay where I am eyeing Amy. "We came back, to look for you."

"Well you didn't look hard enough then." I mutter.

Ewart and James are almost next to me now.

"Just put the gun down and we talk through this." Ewart says placing his hand on my arm.

I lift gun slightly and fire, causing Amy to drop to the ground, Ewart to dive out the way and James to leap on me. A hole appears in the wall along with a cloud of dust. I try to fight against the weight of James but my attempts are feeble as tears fill my eyes. He sits on my stomach and holds my hands beside my head, knocking the gun from my hand. The tears are streaming down my face and I want to curl up in a ball, but James holds me down and stares at me cautiously.

"I think its okay James" Ewart says.

James lets go of my hands and gets off me, I curl up into and continue to cry.

"Come here." James says. I look up at him through the torrent of tears; he is sat next to me with his arms open. I untangle myself from the ball I was in and settle on James's lap as he wraps his arms round me. I rest my head on his chest and cry into his jumper.

Once I had managed to pull myself together and Ewart had disposed of the gun, we were ready to leave.

"Sorry about getting my tears and snot all over your jumper." I say standing up.

"No problem." he says.

I walk over to Amy who is sat on the bed holding a tissue to her nose. "Sorry."

"It's okay." Amy says.

I nod slightly and walk out of the room. I take the stairs one at a time, James and Amy only a few steps behind me. Ewart is waiting by the car and I stop in my tracks, was I ready to go back? James nods at Amy and she walks across the street leaving James with me.

"There is no need to be worried." he says.

I glance sideways and he's staring down at me. "We used to be the same height, when did you grow?"

"Stop putting off the subject." he grins.

I stare across the river at the old run down building, a small red light was glowing from one o the windows. I drop my gaze to James; a red dot is on his chest.

I hear the shot and in a split second I have made my decision. As pedestrians look for the source of the noise I push James out of the way.

My shoulder explodes in pain as I fall to the ground. I clutch my shoulder and squirm in pain as my blood starts to cover my fingers.

"Dakota!" James's face is hovering in my line of view. "Stay with us!" there is panic in his voice but the pain takes over my body and I slip into the cool blackness.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Yes she goes slightly spastic, which was terribly fun to write :) I don't even know if there is a rundown building opposite the hotel, but y'know a story is a story.**

**So please review :) major thanks to all who have reviewed so far and continue to do so!**

**x**


	9. Stolen

**CHERUB Campus, England.**

James stepped out of the car and onto the familiar campus of CHERUB. He sighed happily as started to walk towards the main building. He reached for the door handle but the door opened before he could get within reach.

"James!" Kerry cried wrapping her arms around her boyfriends shoulders and kissing him on the lips, he in turn wrapped his arms round her waist and kissed her back.

There were light footsteps and then a voice. "Kerry, you have had my brother long enough. Let me hug him before I lose interest."

James reluctantly let go of Kerry and wrapped his arms round his younger sister.

"Missed you." he mumbled into her hair.

"You too." she said. "Although you stink."

Lauren leapt away from her brother before he could swipe her.

Kerry looked past James and Lauren's fight at Amy and Ewart who were stood behind James. "Where's Dakota?"

Amy stared at the ground and Ewart didn't look her in the eye. "She got stolen from the hospital by Vladmir's men, we believe."

"Hospital? Why were you in hospital?" she asked.

James by now had stopped fighting his sister and stood still beside Kerry. "Vladmir's men were trying to shoot me but Dakota intercepted and got shot instead. We managed to get her to a safe hospital in France, so we thought. Came back to find the hospital bed empty and three dead nurses." he said.

Kerry covered her mouth with her hand. "You mean she is missing? Again?"

Ewart nodded grimly. "We are getting permission to launch a full scale operation. There is no way we are losing our best agent again."

"Who's going to tell Bruce the news? He will be gutted." Lauren asked.

"I will." James said.

**oOoOo**

**Five days earlier****  
><strong>**Paris, France.**

I wake up to a bright hospital room. The ceiling matches the floor and walls, all an alarming white. I try to sit up which causes a flurry of beeps from the machines beside me and a sharp stab of pain in my shoulder.

"No need to get up sweetie, you're fine." a nurse says in a heavy French accent as she walks into the room.

I stare at her long brown hair piled on the top o her head, her name tag read Fleur. "Where's James?" I ask.

"They're outside in the waiting room. Shall I get them for you?"

I nod and Fleur leaves the room after scribbling something on a chart, with my little strength and annoyance to the machines I pull myself into a sitting position and get a better view of the room. The rooms is white and sterile, it had a cold presence the only warmth coming from the sun streaming through a window.

James, Ewart and Amy walk into the room. They all have dark circles under their eyes from no sleep.

"How are you feeling?' I ask.

"Shouldn't we be asking that?" Amy says from her place sat on the window sill.

"Probably, but you look dead."

"Thanks for that vote of confidence."

"No problem."

Ewart takes his turn to speak "How did you know James was being shot at."

I shrug which causes my shoulder to scream out in pain, I wince. "Saw a red light on the other side of the river, thought it strange. Glanced down at James's chest and there was the red dot."

"You do realise you almost blew your shoulder off?" James pipes up from his seat next to my bed.

"I know." I sigh.  
><strong><br>****Two days later****  
><strong>  
>I chew slowly on my piece of bread and listen to what James is telling me about CHERUB. Or should I say most of his missions.<p>

"So then I was awarded navy because of being exposed to that stuff, and everyone thought I was joking." he finishes, reaching over and stealing a grape off my tray and popping it in his mouth.

"Stop eating the sick person's food!" I exclaim.

"You're not eating, only picking so I don't see why not help you."

"Shut up." I mutter. He eats the rest of my food in silence and when he's finished I place the tray beside the bed and settle back in the bed. "Do you know how incredibly boring it is to stay in a hospital bed all day?"

"Yeah it's pretty boring, which is why I bought Uno. Now move your feet." James says as he clambers onto the bed and sits opposite me.

I grab the little tray table which held my food and placed it between us. "You know how to play?" I ask.

"Yeah." he says.

We play the game until I shout out Uno.

"What? How did you manage that?" he gapes as he peers over his ten cards.

"Your go." I say happily.

He places a yellow two down and on top of that I place a green two. "I win! Seven times in a row!" I say happily.

James throws his cards down before leaning over and pressing his lips to mine, he his gentle at first until he presses his tongue into my mouth. I almost give into the sudden rush that takes over my body, my senses get lost in his touch as my brain goes into sensory overload. The one rational part of my brain takes control of my body before come to regret my actions. I pull away and stare at the sheets.

"What's wrong?" James asks sitting back on his side of the table

I glance up at him, and for a split second I'm lost in his eyes and all I want to do is reach over kiss him. "What was that?"

He chuckles. "Uh, me kissing you?"

"You have a girlfriend." I mutter glaring at the Uno card in my hand.

"What?" he asks.

I look him in the eye. "I overheard your conversation on the phone, which indefinitely ended in 'I love you too babe.'"

He sighs and runs a hand through his black hair which is slowly turning blonde. "So?"

"So?" I snort. "You would believe I would fall for a player like you?"

"You seem to like it before!"

"I'm high on drugs! What do you expect?" I lie.

"Whatever." James growls leaping off the bed and storming out of the room, just as Amy walks in.

"What's up with him?" she asks glancing back down the hall.

"I just turned down James's move." I say.

"Ah, I see." she says knowingly sitting down on the blue armchair.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"He's tried the moves on me, same with Kerry they dated, still are, I think. He's always messing about with other girls though. It's like he isn't satisfied."

"I know that type." I mutter. I never would have thought Kerry would end up with someone like him.

"I think everyone does." Amy chuckles slightly. "Home tomorrow."

"Ugh don't remind me." I sigh.

"Ah, you not looking forward to the physical and medical tests?"

"Who would?"

**oOoOo**

I wake with a start to the sound of voices and a blinding light shone in my eyes. "Wha-?" I mutter rubbing the splotches out of my vision.

Two men dressed in black are stood on either side of me. "_Hello Dakota Costello. You have caused us many problems_." the bulky man on the left says in Russian.

I kick up with my leg, sending a blow to his nose. "_Do it_." he moans through the blood streaming down his face.

The larger of the men reaches over and presses a cloth to my face. For a panicky moment I can't breathe, I try hold my breath as I struggle against the man's strength. My lungs burn and my eyes water from the strong fumes. I give into my straining lungs and inhale the substance on the cloth, almost instantly the fumes get to work paralysing my lungs and burning the back of my throat. Chlorine. I can't breathe and I thrash on the bed gasping like a fish on dry land. Splotches cover my vision as I pass out.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**What do you think? Please review and I will update :) Thanks for all the reviews so far they are muchly appreciated.**

**Just so you know:**

**Russian in Italics and **

**Right, I have tweaked it a little. Chris is no longer in the story and he is replaced from Bruce. :)**

**She keeps on getting stolen! ;P**

**x**


	10. Home

**A/N:**

**Just so you know, I have deleted Chris from the story and replaced him with Bruce. I don't really know how I imagined Bruce; I guess I sort of imagined him as asian or something. But in this story I shall make him just your usual white dude with blacky/brown hair and brown eyes :)**

* * *

><p>My head spins and my eyes are foggy. I take in a deep breath and my lungs scream out in pain I cough slightly before taking short gasps of breath. Each lungful of air I bring in and release it becomes slightly easier to breathe. Within about ten minutes I can breathe properly with only a slight twinge of pain. I rub the glupe from my eyes and take in my surroundings. My left wrist is chained to a wooden bed post of what looks like a fancy apartment. I glance down and somehow I am dressed in black skinny jeans, top and a jacket. Which are definitely not mine.<p>

"Ah, you are awake no?" A man with a heavy French accent asks. I glance up at the door as a butler comes in with a tray of food. He places it a few feet from me.

"You expect me to reach that?" I say my voice hoarse from the lack of water.

"_It's okay Dakota, you can manage." _One of my captors from last night walks into the room. Today unlike the night before he wears a suit, his jaw is swollen from where I hit him.

"_Who are you?" _I ask.

"_Don't you know? I'm Vladmir Obedin's brother in law. I'm the nest of kin if you like it."_ He says.

I stretch my leg out and my toe brushes the edge of the platter. "_Let me guess you want revenge? Information?"_

"_True. I am going to arrest you, press charges of murdering my brother in law, which I actually wanted to do myself but its better you did it." _He mutters kicking the tray towards me.

I nod in thanks pick up a couple grapes off the tray.

"_My men shall be arriving soon. Have fun in your last hours of freedom." _He turns and leaves the room, the butler following. I get locked in and I turn to the handcuff which stops my escape.

I pick at the food on my plate, not realising how hungry I was. As I shove different foods into my mouth as I slowly formulate a plan in my mind. Once all the food is gone I am ready to get to work.

With my free hand I reach into my top, I trace the wire of my bra until my fingers pass a loose thread. Always over missed when searched. I pull the thread away, tearing a hole in my bra. I reach into the hole and pull out a small key. A key to unlock handcuffs. Sewn into every one of my bras, a universal handcuff key. I grin silently to myself in triumph; with a twist of the key I am free from my prison.

I walk over to the window and look out. The Eiffel tower is sat on the horizon glittering in the early morning sun. I am three stories in the air, the people like Bratz dolls below me, minus the big heads and snap off feet. I open the window and peer across. They next rooms window is open and a white net curtain is billowing out in the wind, directly beneath is a rubbish skip. Filled with black rubbish bags which will undoubtedly stink within a few hours.

I start to search the cupboards to find various bottle of liquor and an assortment of cheeses. I search the last draw and pull out a box of matches. I place them on the small bedside table and grab a bottle of white wine. I strip the bed of its sheet and twist them into long knotted rope. I get to work pouring different bottles of wine and beer all over the room. I tie the bed sheets to the leg of the bed and tug hard, and it doesn't budge. I grin to myself and pocket the matches into my pocket and poor the rest of the alcohol on the bed sheets.

I tie one end of the sheets round my waist and clamber out the window. I edge my way across the window ledge, a small gap is between me and the other window. I hold my breath as bile rises in my throat and my arms wobble in strain. I never was good with heights. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths before letting go of my grip on the wall and I leap sideways. My hands scrap the wall as I land on the other ledge. I grip the wall as my heart beats in my chest. I swallow back down the breakfast I had just eaten.

I place one leg inside the next apartment and sit on the ledge as I untangle myself from the bed sheets. I wedge the sheets between the wall and my foot as I strike a couple matches. Within seconds the liquor as set and the flames are climbing across the bed sheet disintegrating behind it. Within seconds the next apartment is alight. I don't wait and watch. I throw my other leg over the window ledge and close my eyes. Three, two, one. I let go of the ledge and fall. My stomach gets left behind and I am too scared to scream. I land with an oomph in the rubbish.

"Ugh." I groan as my shoulder explodes in pain. I glance down at my left shoulder and see blood seeping through my t-shirt. I reach for the edge of the bright orange skip and pull myself out. I swing my legs over the edge and land in a crouch.

I walk through the streets of Paris until I reach Gare du Nord, pick pocketing many people on the way until I have enough Euros to buy a single one way ticket. After quickly paying for a ticket I run across the platforms and leap onto the train as it pulls away from the station. I lock myself into the fisrt smelly toilet cubical and start to wipe off the worst of the rubbish bins smell. Then I remove the bandage covering my bullet wound. The stitches are all swollen and the skin around an angry red colour covered in dry blood. I wipe the blood away from the cut and replace the bandage, on a last thought I flush the toilet and step out of the cubicle.

I spend the rest of the train ride dozing until the train pulls to a stop in Paddington. I slip out of the train along with all the other tourist and business men. I make my way stealing the odd wallet and pulling the money out and tucking it into the waist band of my jeans. I catch the next Virgin train and soon end up in Birmingham New Street.

I walk out into the light drizzle and hail a cab and get inside.

"Where to?" The cabbie asks in a thick brummie accent.

I tell him my destination, to which he raises his eyebrows but doesn't comment. I pick my way through the countryside until night falls. I clamber up a pine tree and settle in a crook in the branches. I close my eyes and concentrate on my breathing and soon enough I fall asleep.

I wake late morning and surprise myself at the fact that I hadn't fallen out of the tree. I scramble down and restart my walk to CHERUB, keeping out of sight of the roads. Keeping a low profile.

I reach the boundaries of CHERUB campus by nightfall. I scale the full perimeter, hiding in the bushes studying the familiar mesh fence.

I pick the weakest spot on the fence perimeter of cameras and start to scale the fence. I drop the other side and crawls across the grass. An alarm sounds as I crawl forwards, I forget stealth and run full pelt across the grass until I reach the edge of the athletics track, I sprint between the little sports shed and the brick wall of a building and crouch in the shadows.

Voices shout and alarms are blaring but I stay still, soon enough my legs are straining and shaking from being crouched for a long period of time. When I'm sure the coast is clear, I edge out of my hiding place.

"Long time no see." A voice says. I whip round to face my attacker, a figure steps out of the shadows and I recognise the shaggy black and copper hair which falls into his hazel eyes.

"Hey." I smile at Bruce. He hasn't changed since I last saw him. Still as thin as before, he looks as if no muscle has formed but I know from his sly smile that he could outsmart anyone in fight.

"Hey to you to." He says.

We stand in awkward silence for a moment taking each other in. Before long I can't stand it. "How did you find me?" I ask.

"Guessed." He mutters leaning against the wall. "I thought whoever was stupid enough to break into CHERUB it would be you, and you always hid out here when you were in trouble. Remember? It was our hide out."

"You have a good memory."

"I only remember what I need to."

I nod silently. "Will you be able to get me to the main building?"

"If you repay me."

"With what?"

"Oh, I'll decide it when I can be bothered. Now let's get out of here." He says holding his hand out. I take his hand and we head towards the main building. Just like old times, his grip is hard and I know he is showing off his strength.

We sprint past various teachers and students but we make it safetly inside the main building. "Thanks, but I can handle it now."

"Sure?" Bruce asks.

"Yes, now run along." I don't give him a second glance as I walk down the hallway to the Mac's office which is now Zara's, thanks to James's update.

I knock softly on the wooden door before picking the lock and pushing the door open. The office is still the same, with its dark oak panelling and various paintings. The only change is the family photos in shiny frames sat on the desk.

I sit down in the thick leather office chair and spin round in circles a couple of times before settling with the chairs back to the door. I cross one leg over the other and place my two hands together and press them to my lips.

"I am meant to be called in straight away. Not five minutes later." Zara says as she walks into her office and flicks on the light. I am momentarily blinded before I turn the chair round.

Now is the chance to do the one thing I've always wanted to do. "I've been expecting you." I say raising an eyebrow.

Zara stops in her tracks causing Ewart to walk into her. "Dakota?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**So do you like it? It's very descriptive and not much speech but yeah... :) soz if it's boring!**

**Russian in Italicas as always...**


	11. Starting Point

Zara stared at the girl before her, she had grown, which was inevitable. She still had the same features as the ten year old that had a licence to kill; only now they were sharpened. The once happy glint in her eyes was gone, replaced by a hard unforgiving gaze.

"Dakota." Zara repeated, she was unsure of what to say to her. What were you to say to someone who's trust was in you and you gave up on them?

"Yes?" Dakota said, swinging slightly on the chair. A light Russian accent covered her words.

"How are you?" she asked taking a single step forward, she was afraid if she was too rash the young girl would disappear again.

"Fine."

Zara glanced up at her husband for support, who was stood staring at Dakota. "What happened?" he asked.

"Obiden's son in law." she muttered bringing up her knees and wrapping her arms round them.

"Oh, we should have expected that." Ewart murmured.

"You should have."

"Dakota, why don't we get you set up for the night? I'm sure we can find you a room on the floor with your friends." Zara said soothingly.

"Okay." Dakota said standing up and brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Ewart will take you to the spare room while I sort out this alarm."

Dakota left the room with Ewart and they walked to the room in silence. Dakota was aware of faces staring at her as she walked down the hall, some were familiar, others completely new. She had missed out. Ewart stopped outside a room on the eighth floor and unlocked the door.

"Your old room." Ewart said standing aside and letting Dakota walk in.

The room was the same, only lacking numerous things, her personal items. The big double bed was sat in the middle of the room, head board at the window. The desk was next to the door and the door to the bathroom was closed.

This room wasn't the same; the bed was in the wrong place along with the desk. The previous occupant must've not liked her arranging style.

"Go down to the food hall in the morning, we will give you a training check after breakfast." Ewart said.

Dakota nodded as the door closed behind her, she waited until all the whispering voices and Ewart's footsteps disappeared did she let it sink in. She was home. Except it didn't feel like home, it was strange and unfamiliar. She threw the room key against wall and it fell to the floor with a clatter.

It was gone midnight by the time Dakota had rearranged the room and settled in bed. She closed her eyes and listened to the familiar sound of water dripping. She smiled into the darkness knowing one thing was still the same; they hadn't fixed the leaky drain in five years.

It was late morning when Dakota woke from slumber; dread was heavy in the pit of her stomach as she pulled herself out of bed. A fresh set of clothes lay on the desk which was now situates under the window. The usual trousers sat beneath a plain black t-shirt, a clean pair of underwear and a bra was on top.

Dakota grabbed the clothes before stepping into the shower, trying to scrub away four, almost five years of misery. When she stepped out of the shower, the skin on body was red and raw from scrubbing. Sighing she slipped on the clothes and a pair of combat boots, instantly moulding to her feet. As a last thought Dakota grabbed the black fleece which she had worn in Paris and pulled it over her head. If she had managed to survive an escape from a building with deadly men, it sure as hell couldn't be too terrible facing all the other agents after five years of absence?

Dakota stood at the entrance to the dining room, hiding in the shadows. She could see Kerry, Bruce, Gabrielle and others from her time at CHERUB and many more agents. James was nowhere to be seen, even though she had been friendly with Bruce earlier she wanted a familiar face who sort of understood what she was going through.

Dakota was about to give up hope when she spotted James, who was having an argument off to one side with a younger girl who had a similar resemblance to him. Dakota sighed in relief before swallowing down her fear and joining the end of the queue.

The room went silent as all eyes focused on Dakota. She didn't let a blush sweep her features; she just kept her head down and allowed her hair to cover her face.

"Dakota!" James hollered from his place beside his sister, argument forgotten. He walked over to the girl stood serving food onto her plate. "How are you?"

"Fine." she mumbled.

"Guess you don't like the attention?"

Dakota scowled at him. "What gave that away?"

James shrugged his shoulders and addressed the dining hall. "I assume you have better things to do with your life, so bog off and stop staring."

Some kid from the back shouted something out which caused James to respond by pulling the finger.

James led Dakota over to the table where everyone was sat. He sat down next Kerry while Dakota sat next to Bruce at the end of the table.

"So Dakota Costello is back." Bruce said throwing his fork onto the table for emphasis. "You know what this means? I'll probably lose a fight is that right?"

Dakota smiled slightly. "We'll see."

"You ready for all those tests?" Kerry asked, unsure what to say to a friend you believed dead.

"Doubt I ever will be."

"She'll breeze through." James said. "You should've seen her in Russia."

Dakota blushed slightly at the compliment.

"You do realise you're going to have to tell us all that happened to you." Bruce said wrapping his free arm round Dakota's shoulder.

"Whatever." she said removing Bruce's arm from where it rested.

After breakfast Dakota made her way down to the Obstacle course where Amy was going to assess her and go along with her. Kerry, Bruce and James stood at beneath with Zara.

"You ready?" Amy asked.

"No, I hate heights." Dakota said clutching the one barrier on the whole course.

"You'll be fine. Just don't look down."

Amy leapt across the first part of the course with ease while Dakota stood at the start staring warily at the thin piece of wood a metre from where she was stood. She swallowed her breakfast back down and took two calming breaths before leaping across. She landed on the narrow platform, wobbling slightly before carrying on to where Amy was stood. Dakota made it to the end with only one time of coaxing from Amy when she had to walk across a wobbly bridge metres in the air with no handrails.

"With this, you have to ride the flying fox and get off before you hit that muddy pond. I don't even want to know what is in there." Amy said. "I'll go first."

Amy gripped the handles and took off from the edge, with a whizz she went speeding down and let go centimetres away from the muddy pond. Amy teetered slightly at the edge of the pond before stepping back quickly.

The flying fox made its way back to Dakota and she wrapped her hands firmly round the handles. Taking a deep breath she stepped off the platform and plunged through the air. Trees blurred past her and in a moments time the pond was looming in front of her. She swung back slightly and let go, landing in a crouch a metre from the muddy hole.

"Well done." Amy said helping Dakota stand up. "Better than what I did."

"It's better than leaping off the platform and free falling to the mat." Dakota said breathing heavily and wiping her damp palms on her trousers.

"You're better with heights than before."

"I doubt it." she chuckled nervously glad to be on solid ground.

Zara took the group to the judo where Bruce quickly got changed into the full white attire. He grinned happily at Dakota and stepped onto the mat.

The mat was cool to Dakota's bare feet; she took off her jumper and stood ready.

"Fight until your partner is pinned to the ground, first to three points wins." the little Chinese lady said. "And no eye gouging Bruce."

Bruce blushed while Dakota raised an eyebrow in Bruce's direction.

"Who do you think will win?" James whispered in Kerry's ear. They were stood off to the side next to Zara.

"I actually don't know. Bruce has had proper training these past five years, Dakota's had nothing." Kerry sighed as the Chinese woman blew her whistle.

James watched in awe as Bruce kicked forward aiming for Dakota's stomach. She skidded backwards slightly before grabbing Bruce's foot, twisting his leg round and pushing him forward. Bruce stumbled to the ground but got up before Dakota could pin him.

"Pretty good Costello, but not good enough." Bruce said as he went for a round house kick but changed halfway through and brought his foot to Dakota's face. A text book move. Dakota crumpled to the ground as blood gushed from her broken nose. Bruce kicked Dakota in her left shoulder and she yelped in pain as her bullet wound began to ooze blood. He pinned her to the mat.

"A point to Bruce." the woman said.

"Why is Dakota's shoulder bleeding?" Kerry whispered.

"Bullet wound. Bruce should be disqualified for that!" James exclaimed turning to Zara who was watching with a grim expression and clutching her clip board.

Anger filled Dakota as she dragged herself to her feet and wiped some of the blood from her nose on her top. Bruce smirked at her from his comfortable stance at the other end of the mat.

Dakota moved with a new fluid speed, her hits and kicks reached their target no matter how Bruce tried to defend himself. Within a minute he was on the ground moaning as she twisted his arm round his back.

"Point to Dakota."

Dakota stepped back as Bruce stood up, he was embarrassed as his friends were whooping and cheering having seen Bruce beaten. He went against text book moves and just scraped, punched and kicked widly. He faced Dakota and watched as blood dripped down her face, her gaze was hard and unwavering as she watched each of his moves. He reached out to punch her, but she dropped to the ground and slid between his legs coming up behind him.

Bruce felt a splintering pain in his back as Dakota slammed into him; he collapsed to his hands and knees. He felt Dakota's body weight pushing down on him and his arms were threatening to give in.

"Just give up I don't want to hurt you." Dakota whispered in Bruce's ear. Blood dripped from her nose onto the mat beside him.

"No!" he cried as tears started to slide down his cheeks.

"Fine." She sighed.

Bruce felt the weight from his back leave as sobs racked his body. He was about to get up when something slammed into him and he hit the mat face first arms crushed painfully at his sides.

"Point to Dakota."

"Give up now." she pleaded before getting off Bruce and stepping back.

Bruce got to his knees and stifled a sob. "I give up."

The woman nodded. "Dakota wins."

James passed Dakota small face towel and she pressed it to her nose.

"That was brilliant!" James exclaimed wrapping an arm round her shoulders.

Kerry glared at James and he quickly removed his arm. "Bruce deserved to be beaten. His gone five years and his pride was getting the better of him."

"I guess so." Dakota said.

Bruce made his way over to his friends who were stood with Dakota, he was resentful towards her for beating him. He knew it would pass but right now he wanted to crush her smiling face. He knew this was the only moment he could get her before her full attention was on her surroundings. He stepped up to her and was swinging in to punch her, and in the split second before his hand hit her face she ducked and slammed her arm into his stomach. Momentarily winded Bruce collapsed to ground gasping for breath like a fish on dry land.

"Shit!" James gasped clapping his hands together. "That was brilliant."

Kerry watched amazed at her old friend, who had become so strong.

Zara walked over to the group of teenagers impressed by what had just happened. "Are you ready for the written paper?"

Dakota nodded and followed Zara back to the main building where she took a seat at a little desk in an empty room. Within an hour she had completed the test, a test not so much different to the one she had taken when she joined CHERUB. She walked the familiar root to the medical room where she went through various medical tests, had her nose fixed and her stitches sewn back in her shoulder.

"Well, other than your nose and shoulder okay to start the next part of your medical test." The nurse said. "Now you need to get on that running machine."

Dakota stood on the running machine while the nurse stuck various tubes to her arm and chest. "I'm ready." She muttered.

"Here we go." The nurse said.

Within an hour of Dakota running on the tredmill hte nurse had finished all bits of paper work.

"Well done Dakota, I must say you are in tip top condition. If you would take these to Zara when you go to her office?"

Dakota nodded and took the papers as she retraced her steps back to Zara's office. She knocked once. "Come in." Zara's voice came through from the otherside of the door.

She walked into the room and placed the papers on the desk and sat down in the office chair.

"Last thing, I need you to kill this chicken." Zara said.

Dakota glanced over at the brown chicken pecking through its feathers in a cage. "Okay, with what?" she shrugged.

"Your hands." She replied.

Dakota picked the small brown chicken and held it tightly in her hands making sure it didn't fly away. With one hand she gripped the body and the other the top of her neck, she twisted her hands in opposite directions to each other. The small bird didn't have time to chirp in distress, as its neck snapped and the bird went limp.

"Well done." Zara said as Dakota placed the dead bird back into the cage. "I guess you want your results back?"

She sighed heavily, nodded and sat down in the chair opposite Zara.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Sorry I couldn't remember the name of that lady in the judo. Sorry if its rushed and what not or too long, but I think this is the longest chapter I have ever written AND it is in third person, and I can't write in third person very well.**

**Thanks for all the reviews :) they keep me ticking over and writing more! **

**Btw If I can be bothered, this story is going to be one hell of a long one. **


	12. Discover

I walk back to my room in a daze, I am back where I belong and still a black shirt. I don't pay attention to my surroundings and almost trip up on a box outside my door; I pick it up and unlock my door.

I peek into the box see my belongings from when I was ten. The taekwondo awards, swimming awards, photo albums and various other bits of junk.

"I kept it all." a voice says.

I turn round to see Kerry stood behind me. "Thanks." I say. "Want to help me unpack it?"

Kerry shrugs and walks into my room closing the door behind her. We set about unpacking the box in silence, I wasn't sure what to say and I was pretty sire Kerry didn't either. After the few belongings which I have placed out in their places I grab two cans of coke out of my mini fridge and chuck one to Kerry.

"Thanks." she says catching the can and opening it.

"So you're dating James?" I ask.

Kerry blushes. "It was kind of inevitable. We were on Basic Training together, we hated each others guts but those feelings soon changed to others."

I nod knowingly and take a sip out of my can. Trying to push my own feelings deep down and out of the way. "Remember when we younger, we listed all the possible guys names we knew? Then ranked them out of possible boyfriend material."

She chuckles. "I remember I had put Bruce down as a ten as he was emotional, I thought that would be a good attribute in a boyfriend! Now it's just annoying!"

"I couldn't believe it when he began crying earlier!"

"I know right, it seems to have gotten worse as he's gotten older."

We smile at each other, our friendship repaired. I try to think of what number I had put next to Bruce's name all those years ago, the memory is clear and sharp as if it were only yesterday but the memory of any number just comes up blank or fuzzy. "I can't remember what I put Bruce down as."

"I think it was two." Kerry says.

I expect my brain to click with this information and the number to reappear in my head, but it doesn't and I am left confused for the hundredth time. "I guess it was."

"Do you want to talk about Russia?" Kerry asks chucking the empty coke can in the bin by the door.

I grimace slightly before shaking my head as I try to push the memories down. "Not really."

"Sorry for pushing it, Zara's worried you might have PTSD."

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I definitely do not have that! I think to myself. "Well as far I'm concerned there is nothing to worry about."

Kerry smiles, eyes suspicious. "Okay, but I have got to unload on a few things before dinner.

Once Kerry has given me a detailed summary of her relationship with James, we head down to the canteen. I try to push the images pieced together by my imagination out of my mind. I pile my plate with the usual roast dinner as I trail behind Kerry in the queue.

"I'll meet you at the table, just going to get some gravy." I say, Kerry nods and goes to sit down at the table next to James. I walk over to the little cabinet on the back wall where gravy, spare cutlery, napkins and sauces are sat. I dip the spoon deep into the brown gravy and let it drip back into the tub.

"I wouldn't eat that if I were you." a masculine voice says. I listen to the melodic rhythm of his accent and hear the distinction of a kiwi accent from the average Australian.

"And why wouldn't I?" I ask turning to face a tall skinny boy with raven brown hair and bright green eyes, someone I don't recognise from my time at CHERUB before.

"I was on kitchen duty, and Rat put some white powder in it." the boy says. I stare him directly in the eye for a minute before deciding he is telling the truth.

I place the spoon back in the tub. "Thanks?" I say.

"Sam." he mutters.

"Sam." I repeat, I smile briefly at him before walking over to where my friends are sat at the table watching me.

"Ugh, what have I done now?" I ask slamming my tray on table.

"Why were you talking to him?" Gabrielle asks inclining her head to the back left hand corner of the canteen where Sam is sat on his own.

"Why wouldn't I?" I ask.

"He's well..." Gabrielle trails off.

"Strange." Kerry says.

"Weird." Rat says round a mouthful of food.

"A complete gay." James concludes.

"A gay?" I ask rather harshly angry at my friends for saying things about someone who seems genuinely nice.

James glances at his plate unsure. "Well not a complete gay, but he does act rather funny. Doesn't speak unless spoken too, besides why are you getting all high horsed about it? You barely know him?"

I scowl at James. "Yeah I barely know him, but one thing I do know is never judge someone until you know them."

"That's philosophic bull shit." James growls angrily.

"Whatever." I growl back clutching my fork in an attempt to control my anger.

"James, don't be so harsh about him." Kerry says patting his arm soothingly.

"I'm being harsh? You agreed with us millions of times before he was weird!" James exclaims spitting slightly at Kerry, I raise my eyebrows slightly at the others who shrug, indicating that this is a normal occurrence. "Do you want to act all innocent and nice seen as your old friend is back? Don't want to make a bad impression do we? You don't want her to judge you until she knows you?"

James directs the last words at me and they sting. I feel my cheeks heat up, and my grip tighten on the fork. "Shut it Adams, I don't want to hurt you."

James laughs rather hysterically as he kicks his chair back and leans over the table to face me. We are inches from each other and if I wasn't angry I know I would kiss him. "Think you're all tough? Coming in here and expecting people to worship you, you bitch."

Instead of kissing him like the image in my head I bring the fork in my hand down on the back of his hand.

He screams in pain as Gabrielle leaps from her seat and tries to and restrain me but I bat her aside, as one of my punches glances off James's cheek bone, driven slightly of course due to Bruce's body slamming into mine. I hit the floor with a thud and my head cracks against the tiled floor with a thud.

My fingers trace a bloody wound on my temple as students shout and staff come running in. My head throbs and the world around me spins and the only thing I'm conscious of his Bruce's body pressing against mine. I push off the floor and shrug Bruce of me, I stand wobbly on my feet and push past the crowd of gathering people and head out the doors of the cafeteria and out onto CHERUB campus.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Yes this is short, sorry. But I have loads of stupid school work. Including learning over 300 words of spanish for tomorrow :) but I procrastinate and this chapter is a result in that :)**

**Did you like my little wee bit of angst? Yes it was randomly sudden but what is life without randomness?**

**Please review, because you truly know you want to help me out in my life :) besides if you review I may even learn my spanish and dedicate it to you guys:)**

**Btw Sam or soon to be Sammy, haven't decided yet! Is going to return...so keep an eye out!**


	13. Waiting

I sit opposite a woman named Ms Shaw; she seems to be only a few years older than the Queen. She smiles encouragingly at me and I scowl.

"So Dakota, we understand you are suffering post traumatic stress disorder. It will explain the sudden anger and resentfulness against peers and why you don't like to tell about your time in Russia. Would you like to tell me a single emotion you feel about Russia?" she asks staring at me over a clip board.

I glance across at the large fish tank, full of colourful tropical fish. "I don't know." I mutter finally. "Look, I don't do lovey dovey touchy feely."

"I know but try. Feel deep inside your being and draw out one emotion."

"Look this is absolute crap, and I have lessons which will actually help me in life." I say standing up and slipping on my jacket. "Don't expect me to return to your sessions."

"Dakota, calm down. Maybe tell Kerry your emotions, someone else you can trust?" Ms Shaw says.

"I highly doubt that." I walk out of the room kicking the door shut behind me. I take a longer route to lessons allowing myself to calm down. I am back where I belong, shouldn't I be happy? I stop and sit on a little bench round the side of the building and place my head in my hands.

"You should be in lessons." a shadow blocks the sunlight and glance up to see Sam stood before me.

"Shouldn't you?" I say returning my head to my hands.

"Probably, but I got sent out." he says.

"Why?"

"Someone threw a paper airplane at me, I threw it back, I got chucked out and got bored waiting and went for a stroll."

"You realise you will probably get laps? Or suspended from missions?" I say closing my eyes and leaning back against the bench and tipping my head back to catch some of the sun's rays.

"They only give me laps, but it means I'm fitter and stronger than everyone else."

"You have good stamina?"

"Well I wouldn't want to brag." Sam says sitting down beside me.

"Race?"

"Where?"

"Around the track, its empty and we have a whole hour until this lesson finishes." I say opening my eyes and sitting up.

"Deal." he grins.

We walk down to the athletics track and I'm glad I am wearing shorts. The early morning sun beats against my back as I slip my jacket and shoes off. Sam does the same to reveal a navy shirt.

"I love the feeling of the first day of spring. It means summer is on its way." I say rubbing the goose bumps from my arms as a cool wind passes me.

"You're a true New Zealander then?" Sam says as we start jogging around the track.

I glance down at our feet, shoeless and beating against the track. "I guess I am."

"Where did you live before CHERUB?" he asks.

"Tauranga, till I was seven. South Auckland until being shipped here, you?"

"Whakatane and then Wellington."

"Windy Welly." I chuckle. "Ever go to White Island?"

"A few times, my dad was a geologist. What about you?"

"Once, and I was vomiting during the whole boat ride."

"Nice." He chuckles.

We complete our second lap in silence and by the time the bell rings out I am out of breath and clutching my sides. Sam just stands there barely breaking a sweat.

"I am so out of practice." I gasp.

"Well you have been trapped in another country." Sam says putting his shoes on. "So what happened?"

"Hmm?" I ask slipping on my socks.

"Russia, if its not too bold asking."

I pause as I lace my boots up. "I'd rather not talk about at the moment."

"Sorry."

"It's okay, maybe some other time."

"Of course." Same says shrugging. "See you around." he says before jogging off.

I watch as Sam walks back towards the school building and disappears inside, other students pour out of the building. I sigh and stand up stiffly and slowly make my way back to my room. I have a long bath, letting the warm water soothe my aching muscles. I only get out when my skin starts to shrivel and the water goes cold. I put on fresh clean clothes and walk out of my bathroom to find Kerry sat on my bed.

"It's rude to enter without permission." I say towel drying my hair.

"You weren't in first or second lesson." she says gazing stonily at me.

"No I wasn't."

"You missed a lot of work while you were gone, missing more won't help. And Zara is livid."

"Oh well."

"How did the shrink go?"

I stand in front of a mirror and run a hairbrush through my blonde hair which is slowly turning black at the roots. "I walked out."

Kerry sighs heavily. "Seriously Dakota, I know you've been through a lot. But stop screwing around. We're here to help you."

"You know nothing of what has happened."

"Well maybe I could start to understand if you would just tell me what's bothering you!" she exclaims.

"Get out!" I shout turning my back to her.

"Fine. Just don't expect to be helpful when you come crawling back!" Kerry storms out of my room and slams the door.

I stare at the door in silence before throwing my hair brush against the door. I slip on my fleece and zip it up before leaving my room. I walk into math and head to the back of the room. James scowls at me from behind a maths book his hand wrapped in a thick bandage.

I stop at his desk and whisper in his ear. "Sorry."

"You stabbed me!" James cries.

"Well you kind of deserved it." I say standing up.

"No I didn't."

"Paris. One bad word and you're screwed." I smile sweetly.

James's blue eyes go wide. "You wouldn't."

"I would."

I carry on to the back of the room and sit behind a table in the corner. Kerry is sat in the table before me and I stare at her hair. Trying to think of what to say, how to apologise.

"Sorry." I say to her hair.

Kerry turns around. "Can you repeat that?"

"No. You heard me."

Kerry smiles at me. "Knew you loved me really."

I sigh and tap my pencil against the table top. "Don't think I am going to be all lovey dovey. I don't do emotions, and you should know that."

"Oh I remember clearly." Kerry grins. "So you want to go into town tonight. It's a Friday, and we really need to fix your hair. It looks crap."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

By the end of the day Kerry and I are back in good books. I walk next to Kerry down the high street and she drags me into the nearest Boots. The shop is bright and white and a sudden image flashes in the back of my mind of a moment in Russia. I steady myself on the nearest shelf as for a sickening moment I am back in the cold white room, chained to a chair, head limp forward, pain surging through my body and blood dripping to my lap from a deep gash above my left eye and a broken nose.

"You okay?" Kerry asks.

I am brought back to the present and I catch my breath swallowing the sudden rise of bile in the back of my throat. "Yeah, fine. Just a little light headed."

"Well I have the black dye and other things I think you might need. Anything else?"

I peer in the basket to see an array of girly products, shampoo and make up along with the dye. I shake my head still clutching the shelf, once I have my spinning head under control.

Kerry walks over to me with the bag of shopping and hands it to me, we walk out the shop. "Right, I just need to go get Gabrielle. Here's my phone number. 0775517643, okay? Call me when you buy your phone and we'll meet up."

"Righty-ho." I walk up the street to the Orange and stand before the different variety of phones. The shop assistant comes over and helps me and I pick out a Blackberry Bold. I pay the man behind the desk and walk out of the shop, and putting the sim card in.

I stand outside in the light drizzle staring at the numbers on the phone; the number Kerry had told me was gone from my mind. I screw my eyes closed and try to remember the numbers. I walk over to Santander and sit beneath the archway and pull my hood up, the only think I can to do is to wait. Wait, just like before.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**My Spanish went okay :) after playing musical rooms, though I wrote 429 words in the first 15 minutes and then flicked through the dictionary for the rest of the lesson**.

**I'm on a roll again! Wooo! But I won't be able to update due to a family wedding in Scotland! :) not looking forward to being a bridesmaid! I am most likely going to fall on my face and make a complete fool of myself -_-**

**Review, tis muchly appreciated.**

**Ta x**


	14. Death

Twenty minutes later I find two sets of shoes in front of my vision, two pairs of ballet flats. I tip my head back to see Kerry and Gabrielle.

"Glad you could join me." I say standing up brushing imaginary dust off my clothes.

"I gave you my number." Kerry says crossing her arms across her chest.

"Yes, and I remembered to ring you, but I forgot the number." I shrug.

"That is the lamest excuse! I gave you the number and you forget it, in what two minutes?"

It's more like forty five seconds. I don't tell her this; I don't want to explain the situation behind it.

"Sorry." I mutter.

"Well we had better get to the van before it leaves without us." Gabrielle says starting off in the direction of where the minivan is parked.

We make it to the van with a few minutes to spare and we scramble on take seats at the front. Kerry sits next to James so I sit next Gabrielle. We small talk to each other during the ride back, both unsure what to say to each other.

I am glad to be back on campus as a headache has started, and I'm out when the van pulls to a stop. I head towards my room not bothering to listen to the shouts of both Kerry and Gabrielle to join them. My head is spinning and there is a stabbing pain behind my eyes as I fumble with the lock, I slam the door behind putting the chain on before dumping my bags and stumbling to the bathroom. The pain is so bad that I can't see what is in front of me I feel my way along the sink, squeezing my eyes shut of the pain. I collapse to the ground by the toilet, taking in deep shaky breaths as I try to calm down. But I can't, Boots triggered a memory and I vomit into the toilet, retching until there's nothing left. My eyes water and my throat burns as I wrap a towel around me, shaking uncontrollably I slide to the floor and lie against the cold tiles as I squeeze my eyes shut against the pain and memories.

My dreams are filled with nightmares where I find myself back in Russia, back to being tortured. I was aware of a banging on the door and voices at one point nut the nightmare was too deep and I couldn't surface.

I wake to find myself whimpering into the towel. I rub sleep out of my eyes and stand, leaning heavily on the sink. I stare at my hands to see them caked in dry blood. Where had that come from? I look up to the mirror and stare at my reflection.

There are deep black bags beneath my eyes, my skin is a sickly white and my hair is a bird's nest of blonde and black. I trail my fingers across my neck, along the scabs of newly formed cuts. I stare at the nail wide lines which cover my neck before I drop my gaze to the towel wound into a sausage covered in blood. It had obviously wrapped round my neck the night. I sigh and drag my feet into my room; I reach for the Boots bag and pull out the dye.

An hour later my hair looks as good as new and I spend my time towel drying my hair. Throughout the morning there are knocks on the door and my phone ringing but I lie still stretched out on the carpet, trying to push the images to the back of my brain. By lunch time my stomach is growling but I don't have the energy to get up so I close my eyes in the hope for the images and memories to fade, but without the light the terror and pain is worse. There is a knock at the door but I don't respond.

"Dakota, it's me Kerry." Kerry says.

No kidding.

"Look we're all worried. If you don't unlock this door we're gonna pick the lock and come right it."

I don't reply. My body and brain aches but I haul myself into a sitting position and then I crawl to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind me.

Once safe in my bathroom I reach for the glass of water I keep by the sink and smash it against the floor. It breaks into three shards of glass, I push two away and pick up the biggest.

I hear the lock go inside my room and the door rebound against the chain. Voices, urgent and worried. My brain somehow distorts them into Russian and I am transported back to Russia. I'm back in a dark gloomy warehouse; I'm shivering uncontrollably my arms bloody and bruised. I wanted a way out from the pain, the sharp edge of a can scavenged from the piles scrap offered this. I remembered running it across my purpled skin of my wrist. I gritted my teeth against the pain as blood slid down the side of my wrist. I frown as I stare at my wrists, the pain and blood seemed too fresh. I am taken from the memory and thrown into the present as I stare at the bloody shard of glass clutched tight in my hand; blood is seeping from both my wrist and my hand. I want to stop but I can't, some irrational part of my brain knows this is the only way out. I carry on drawing the glass across my skin. I don't scream or cry in pain, I'm too empty. Once my left wrist is spewing out blood I weakly cut into my right wrist.

I sit back against the bath and watch the blood flow from my wrists and hands to the white tiled floor, staining it a ruby red. My vision is blurring as I become light headed. The voices grow dimmer and I'm vaguely aware of the door handle to the bathroom jiggling but I don't wait around to find out what happens next. I slide to the bloody tiles and close my eyes. Hoping to never reopen them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**So what did you think? Bit of action again :) On a roll so you should be pleased, except revision due to stupid exams coming up -_-**

**Five reviews, and I will update. **


	15. Complete

I wake in a white room. White ceiling, walls and bed sheets. I'm groggy and I glance over to the drip sticking in my arm. I go to roll over but my arms are tied to the bed with white leather cuffs with sheep skin lining. For a moment of panic I get the feeling of being trapped, unable to escape.

I pull with my arms to see if it breaks the hold but I am resulted in an agonising pain. That is when I see the thick bandages wrapped round my wrist. I do my best at rolling over and burry my head in the crisp white pillow, tears fall from my eyes staining the pillows of their unnatural white for a moment before being soaked up.

"Dakota?" a female voice says.

I get control of my emotions before rolling onto my back to face Zara, her usual messed up appearance is worse than usual. Mixed with the vomit stains is blood. My blood. Her eyes have deep black bags beneath them and she looks really tired.

"Look, I know you're obviously upset and suffering. But it is imperative you let someone in, if you continue to shut people out you will have no one left but yourself."

I close my eyes and sigh heavily before staring at the ceiling. "It hurts to talk about it." I croak, my throat is dry and results in a coughing fit.

Zara reaches for button beside my bed and a plump nurse comes scurrying in with a plastic cup and a jug of water. Zara pours me a cup and passes it to me. I take slow sips as I try to steady my hands.

"Shall I bring Kerry in? Do you want to talk to her?" Zara's voice is calm and soothing. The type of voice you would use to calm a wild animal.

It angers me and I feel it building up inside. I try to get a grip because I know she doesn't mean it. "No, she won't understand."

"Maybe she will if you give her the chance."

I shake my head before passing the cup back to Zara and relaxing back into the bed.

"What about James? He's suspended from missions."

"Why?" I ask.

"His mission went a bit wrong in Russia."

That word. One word which causes me so much misery and pain. I screw my eyes shut as I feel my mind slipping back into the past.

"No..." I moan.

The images flash against my closed eyelids. Barbed wrapped round around leather belt, digging into my back.

"Dakota! What's wrong! Speak to me!" Zara's voice is urgent.

"No!" I scream at the top of my lungs, on my knees straining against the restraints.

Cold water splashing against my face brings be back and I sink back onto my heels spluttering as I blink quickly.

A doctor and nurse are stood in the room scribbling furiously on a clipboard while Zara holds a jug unsteady in her one hand.

"Are you okay?" The doctor steps forward and I read his name tag. Connor.

"Fine." I say.

"If you say so." Connor sighs nodding to Zara and the nurse who leave the room behind him. Once the door is closed I bring the leather cuffs to my mouth and try to chew.

It results in nothing except a very bad taste in my mouth. I sigh and lie still in the bed; this is going to be a long day.

Zara pops her round the door and informs me that she will be sending Kerry over after lessons.

I spend my time dozing between late morning and evening. By six Kerry bursts into the room.

"You scared the hell out of me!" she exclaims sitting down in the green leather chair beside the bed.

I shrug and move myself into a sitting position.

"Why? I-I came in and your bathroom door was locked! Ewart had to bash the door down as it would it would've taken too long to pick! You were as good as dead! Why would you do that?" Kerry is out of breath and breathing heavily from her sudden outburst.

"Why did you save me?" I ask quietly.

Kerry stares at me as if I'm mad. "You deserve to live! Not waste your life! Think of what you've been through...that must account for something?"

"Just pain and misery."

She sighs and runs a hand through her pin straight hair. "Please. I'm trying to help, give me something to do. I felt useless when Ewart and Zara began stemming the blood."

"Who saw?" I ask.

"There was a big crowd but it was me, Zara, Ewart, Bruce, Gabrielle and James who came in the room. But Gabs fainted so Bruce helped her. James and I were useless so Ewart ordered us to get the crowd away, threatening for suspension. Everyone left pretty quickly. You were in surgery most of the night, you came round this morning."

I nod letting the information sink in.

"Look tell me what I can do." Kerry says reaching forward taking my hand in hers.

I slide my hand out from under hers. "I don't do lovey dovey touchy feely. But you could get me an Xbox, it's not like I can kill myself with it."

Kerry doesn't laugh at my attempt of a joke, she just scowls and gets up and leaves.

"Kerry." I shout but she slams the door cutting off any connection to the outside world.

Within two days I am deemed to be okay, so they take off the straps from my wrists and give me a play station along with school work to pass the time. No one comes to visit, except my newest shrink Dr Fell. A young lady with brown hair down to her hips, it's kind of gross but she seems okay.

James drops by late afternoon and sits himself in the green chair and scowls at my bed.

"Shouldn't it be you asking if you're okay, instead of me?" I ask.

James's blue eyes lock on to mine and I feel my heart skip a beat. "Sorry, but Kerry is seriously taking the piss. Just because I looked at some girls' tits longer than two minutes she's all up her high horse."

"That is kind of creepy."

"Shut up. Anyways I'm supposed to ask how you're feeling." he says.

"Fine." I say.

James chuckles and sits back in the chair resting his feet on the side of my bed. "I'm not allowed to accept that answer."

"Fine, I won't speak to you then." I reach for the play station console and stare at the screen as I blow numerous zombie heads off.

"Okay, I accept fine." James says, I don't even acknowledge this and carry on fiddling with the controls.

James sighs and I hear him moving about from beside me but I don't tear my eyes from the screen. I get a jump when James's face appears before mine; he's on the bed centimetres from me.

"Yes?" I ask, trying not to let this closeness muck up my ability to speak.

"You're eyes are pretty, you know that?"

"Um, thanks?"

"No problem." he smirks before closing the gap between us. I feel his lips against mine before any rational part of m brain kicks in. I don't want it to stop; I want to lose myself in his embrace. I want to keep this feeling of belonging.

All too quickly he breaks away for air and I aster a scowl on my face. "You can't do that'" I say biting my lip as I try to restrain myself from permanently super gluing my face to his.

He grins, one of his eyebrows nearly reaching his hairline. "Really? You seemed to like it, more than before."

He leans in but I have my hand on his chest pushing him away. "You're with Kerry."

James sighs. "That's what you said last time."

"That is what I'm saying again. I don't want to be the cheater. The one who breaks up two people, as I can tell it was always you taking advantage of sickly me in hospital?" I say crossing my arms across my chest to emphasise my point.

James tears his gaze from my face to my arms which cover my chest. "You're hot when you're mad."

I smile slightly at the complement. "You're a cheating cow, now get lost before I call my hot doctor and get your cute behind kicked."

"I love it when you talk dirty." he says kissing me lightly on the lips before swaggering out of the room.

Minutes after his leaving Dr Fell walks in, her brown hair looking paler in the white surroundings. "I can tell by your, uh, interaction with James there that you want a sense of belonging. The feelings you're having may just be a side effect from your PTSD. It's been noted that victims tend have strong varying emotions."

"Thanks for the history lesson." I say.

"I know from the gossip which flies round the school that James is in fact a player. You may not want to get in too deep." Dr Fell says.

"I know." I sigh. "Why am I doing this?"

"Like I said before if you want someone to care and protect you, and until you let someone in to do that. You will be stuck with James."

I sniff. "I hate you philosophical goodness."

"I know."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Thanks for the reviews!**

**Btw, I don't plan on any self harm or watever...I am perfectly okay, for now...hmmm...just in case you guys were like oh no!**

**Well review :)**

**Ta muchly x**


	16. Refresh

**Two weeks later**

Having been deemed 'safe' I was able to leave the hospital with daily sessions with Dr Fell. I get numerous stares and whispers from both younger and older CHERUB agents. I have been ignoring James and only speaking to him as a friend, I think he has got the message.

I close the door of my fifteenth session with Dr Fell and head down the hall way, I pause in front of the elevator staring at the steel grey doors I try to shut out the fear. I press the button and wait. Replaying Dr Fell's advice about my fear of elevators. The doors slide open and I take a deep breath an step in. Sam is already in there.

"Hey." I manage before clutching the side, I close my eyes and count to ten. Trying to shut out the images of Russia.

"See you're already getting over the fear." Sam says lightly.

I am shaking now. "No I'm not."

The elevator pings and the doors slide open, I stumble out of the lift and throw up in the nearest potted plant. Hands reach down and pull my hair out of my face as I retch.

One there is nothing else to leave my body I straighten up, wiping my mouth on my sleeve.

"Better out than in." Sam says letting go of my hair.

"Thanks." I say.

"No problem. But you're going to have to get over your fear some day."

I sigh. "I know."

"Well I think that day should be today!" Sam exclaims herding me towards the lifts.

"Um, no thanks. Did you just see my reaction?"

"Yep, and now we are going to take the lift until you're bored stiff."

I spin round and eye Sam his green eyes just show genuine concern, no teasing. "Why would you do this for me?"

He shrugs staring at the floor. "You seem nice, and PTSD isn't a very nice thing to have."

"Guts."

"Yeah." Sam smiles a he steps into the lift.

I walk in taking deep breaths "You know, since being in CHERUB you're the only one who didn't question that last statement."

"That's because unlike others I know what you mean." he says sitting on the floor. "Sit. I will be easier." he pats he floor beside him.

I sit down and ball my hands into fists and place them on my knees.

Sam doesn't try to make conversation he just sits next to me, only getting up to press the button. No one joins us in the lift as they're all half way across campus doing lessons.

No one comes to fin Sam and me; we just sit in silence riding the elevator. As the minutes drag into hours my fear lessons, the shaking stops and I am able to sit quite happily in an elevator.

"See it isn't so bad." Sam says as we hear the single bell telling us it's the end of the lunch break.

"You're right." I say hauling myself to my feet. "Care to join me for some comida?"

"Sí me gustaría." he replies.

"Good accent."

"Gracias."

We walk out the elevator and down to the food hall. It's empty and we take our time strolling to the remains of the food being served. As its Friday I decide to treat myself to a double cheese burger and chips.

"Healthy." Sam notes as we sit at a table in the far corner of the room.

I look at his plate which is a chicken salad. "I try my best."

He chuckles slightly before delving into his meal. I frown at my cheeseburger, picking out the gherkin and pulling the unmelted cheese from the bun before taking a bite. We eat in silence, the only sound of the dinner ladies packing up.

"Well that shut us up." I say as I wipe my mouth on a white napkin staining it red with ketchup.

"Indeed it did." Sam agrees. "Well it looks as if I have double languages this afternoon, what about you?"

I pick the time table out of my pocket. "Chemistry and then Russian GCSE and A-Level exam."

"What a joyous afternoon." he says sarcastically.

"Yeah." I mumble, we are almost at the block of classrooms. "Have fun in languages."

"Yeah, you too."

I smile at him before pushing the door open and jogging up the stairs. I walk silently down the carpeted corridor stopping in front of my science room. I don't bother knocking and just push the door open, the room goes silent and the classes' eyes turn to stare at me.

"Ah, Dakota! Glad you could make it." Mr Downe says an overweight balding ex-cherub agent.

I stare at the gaggle of twelve year olds and the odd fourteen year old. I spot James's younger sister at the back of the room. Lauren smiles and waves me over. As I walk to the back Mr Downe carries on the lesson.

On the other side of Lauren is her friend Bethany who sniffs as I sit down. "Got an allergy?" I ask.

Her cheeks flush red. "No."

Lauren sighs and pokes Bethany in the ribs before filling me out on what they have been learning. At this point in time I am thankful for my photographic memory.

"Have you packed yet?" Bethany asks.

Lauren stops what she is writing and glances over at her friend. "I've done my case but I have Kyle grabbing James's stuff this afternoon."

I stop what I'm drawing in my book and glance curiously over at Lauren. "Why do you need to pack James's clothes?"

"Oh, when he was on his mission it was his birthday. So we have organised this go-carting spa thing." Lauren says.

"Will he really enjoy the spa?" I ask.

Lauren and Bethany giggle. "Doubt it!" Lauren chuckles.

I return to my drawing of a dragon which covers a page of my book when a shadow falls across it. Lauren and Bethany's chatter has died. I look up to see Mr Downe scowling down at me.

"What is this?" he asks rather loudly.

The whole class is silent as they watch me. "It's a roast chicken." I say sarcastically.

"That is not a tone I appreciate you using Miss Costello. I know you have freelanced it these past five years, but you really need to buckle down." Mr Downe says reaching for a text book and placing it in front of me. "At the end of the lesson, I am going to test you on all the Chemistry from this book. If you give me a wrong answer you get 300 laps to do in three weeks."

"Okay." I say.

Mr Downe's beady eyes watch me for a moment before he moves on.

"Busted." Bethany sniggers.

I glare at her before flipping the test book open to Chemistry and start reading.

As Lauren and the rest of the class furiously scribble down notes from the board. I take my time flipping through the pages of the book and by the end of the lesson I know all I need to pass my Biology, Chemistry and Physics exams.

As the bell rings Lauren gives me a sympathetic look. "Good luck."

"Thanks." I say heading to the front o the room where Mr Downe is stood in front of his laptop.

"So what are the two products needed for Ammonia?" he asks leaning on the table.

"Hydrogen and Nitrogen. It is used with an iron catalyst at 200 atmospheres at 450 degrees Celsius."

"Hmmm...Okay."

I leave the Chemistry room minus three hundred laps and walk quite happily to Russian humming Let's Kill Tonight. My happy bubble unfortunately bursts when I reach the Russian room. All of my friends take up the front row of tables and they watch me closely as I walk over to the teacher.

"Uh I'm ready." I say.

The short dark haired teacher says nothing but walks out the room.

"You should follow her." James says.

"Thanks." I say and jog out the room to catch up with the teacher.

She sits me in an empty 'classroom' which seems to be a cleaners closet with a table dumped in the middle of it. She places both my GCSE and A-Level papers before me.

"Start with GCSE, you have two hours and I will be back so you can move onto A-Level." she says.

I nod and pull the lid off my pen; I bend the crisp white paper over and stare at the Russian words. Left alone in the windowless room I feel the memories pulsating in the back of my head, I put my fist in my mouth and bite down hard. Making myself work through the pain.

The Russian comes back to me easily and the words flow onto the page. Within the two hours I have completed both my GCSE and A-Level papers. I sit back happily in the chair and stare at the clock until he teacher pushes the door open.

"You may start your A-Level papers now." she says.

I stand up and pass my papers to her. "No need, I'm done."

I leave the room and walk down the hall, I find Kerry loitering outside her Japanese room. She turns to me as I reach her.

"James told me you were sitting your exams. How was it?" she asks.

I run a hand through my hair. "It was okay, rather easy."

Kerry frowns at my hand for a moment. "Any flashbacks?"

"Yeah, but I managed to control them." I shrug.

"I can tell by your hand."

I look down at it to see bloody teeth marks. "Well that isn't too good."

"No it's not; I shall get you to the medical room before going to see my beloved boyfriend."

I spend my evening reading and writing notes from both my Maths and Science text books; even though I know they are useless. By eleven I give into the yawns which I had managed to avoid with a can of red bull until now. I quickly get changed before brushing my teeth and climbing into bed, falling asleep almost instantly, a rarity for me.

I'm awoken just past midnight, not by one of my nightmares but of my phone ringing. I grumble and flick the switch on my bedside light, fumbling for my cell phone. After knocking numerous items on the floor my hands enclose around the cold object.

"Hello?" I mumble.

I am answered by crying. "Uh, hello? Who is this?"

"Kerry!" Kerry shrieks through sobs.

"What's wrong?" I ask yawning and rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"J-James tried having sex with me!" she slurs.

"Are you drunk?"

"Maybe a little tipsy." she sobs. "Everything was fine! We were all in the hot tub after a great race, drinking some wine. Then I stay behind with him and we cuddle..."

"Uh-huh."

"And then he whips out a condom! I'm only fourteen!"

"Was there any chance you were wearing clothes while cuddling?"

"Yes! My bikini!"

"Sorry dear old friend but that doesn't count."

"Shut up!" Kerry giggles and sniffs.

"Well I need my beauty sleep. Do me a favour? Don't let him up easily."

"I won't. Thanks for cheering me up."

"No problem, though you owe me sleep."

"I know. Good night."

"It's almost the blooming morning you bitch."

"Shut up you bastard!" Kerry says before hanging up.

I smile to myself before throwing my phone on the floor and turning off my light, rolling over and praying for sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**I'm procrastinating again...I wrote this instead of revising for my physics test Tuesday on forces and all that stuff, it does my head in. I mean will we ever need to put into life? When I'm driving along why would I want to know how much force is and drag there is?**

**Well this is chapter 16 as you can tell...Urm I am not entirely sure if you do your GCSE's in two hours, I know my Food Tech was 2 hours but I haven't done my language one yet :O done writing and speaking and whatever!**

**I would LOVE to have a photographic memory! It would make life so easy!**

**Oh! and that bit above ^^ I thought I would add some of The Fall into it, make it more CHERUB like and more believable...plus I wasn't sure when reading The Fall, as I was skim reading was Kerry even wearing clothes in that part with James at the spa?**

**Well review...**

**It helps :)**

**Ta xxx**


	17. Pause

Dakota spinned around on the deep blue office chair, her feet dragged along the carpet. Dr Fell was sat opposite watching her closely and scribbling the odd thing on the clipboard.

"I have an idea." Dakota said placing her feet on the floor and stopping to face Dr Fell.

"And what is that?" Dr Fell asked, her pen hovering over the clipboard.

"I have a photographic memory. Do you think that is why my PTSD is really bad?" her tone has a hard edge, as if she is blaming it on herself.

"Could be, I do know any PTSD is hard and everyone has different recovery periods. I don't think a photographic memory would help." she said writing on the clipboard.

Dakota watched her write for a moment before tapping her knee. "You said it will help if I trusted someone, told them of what happened."

"Yes I did, have you done that yet?" Dr Fell asked watching the agent closely.

"No." she sighed. "But I think I am ready, to tell someone."

"Kerry?"

Dakota nodded, suddenly becoming interested in the carpet at her feet.

"How are the drawings coming along? Are they helping?"

"Yeah. I think they are." she said tucking a lose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Good." the two sit in silence the only sound of the clock ticking. A few moments later the bell sounds, indicating the end of the session.

"Thank you for your time, you're definitely improving." Dr Fell said as Dakota gets to her feet.

"That's good to hear." Dakota replied smiling slightly at the young lady before walking out of the room.

She zipped her jacket up as she crossed CHERUB campus, other students milled about dragging out their next lesson.

"Hey." Kerry said jogging up to catch up with her friend.

"Hi." Dakota replied. "I see James is back in your good books?"

Kerry chuckled. "He made a complete fool of himself, and honestly it was so romantic and cute I had to accept."

Dakota tutted before linking arms with her friend. "Now for the best subject of the day!"

"Ugh, computers."

"Yes!" she grinned.

Kerry watched as her friend typed streams of code into the computer screen, her gaze never left the monitor and her long black hair fell in a wavy curtain past her shoulders.

She sighed and stared at the book of hacking before her, the words swimming in her head. Huffing Kerry closed the book and glanced over her shoulder to see what James and Bruce were doing.

The two boys were sat in the corner of the room chuckling about something, the longer she watched the more angry she became. Dakota was oblivious to the fact that both James and Bruce were checking her out.

Kerry's cheeks flushed red and she turned back to her screen picking up the mouse, as it was tangled up in an array of wires she slammed it on the table. This unexpected sound caused Dakota to jump and her head snapped round.

"You okay?" she asked gazing at her friend.

"Fine." Kerry sniffed, as she felt the stinging in her eyes and the warm tears slide down her face.

"You aren't fine." Dakota noted patting her friend on the shoulder.

Kerry couldn't help a small chuckle escape her lips. "I really do wonder what you would do if you had a boyfriend."

Dakota's green eyes analysed her friend's sudden change in emotion. "Why?"

"You can't physically show any emotion. You're all stiff and awkward."

Dakota smirked slightly. "How little you know."

"Whatever, I bet you've never kissed a boy before." Kerry said watching her friend closely, for a brief moment a frown appeared before quickly returning to the firm mask she had seen her friend wearing since her time back at CHERUB. Kerry was certain Russia had changed her, there were moments where the happy green eyed black shirt kid appeared, but in an instant it's back the cold hard exterior.

"I'm a year older, there are many things I have done which you haven't." she replied, in a tone which suggested to leave it at that.

It was in that moment that Kerry knew something had happened between James and Dakota. The way she caught him gazing at her. Dakota's sudden mood swings, friendly one minute, enemy the next and then blanking him. "You've had sex, haven't you?"

"Huh? What? No!" Dakota exclaimed tugging the sleeves of her fleece over her hands, the slight reddening of her cheeks showed her discomfort.

"I believe you." Kerry said.

Dakota gave her mischievous grin. "Of course you do."

Kerry sighed trying to reassure herself that nothing happened and that she was just jumping to conclusions.

Kerry left the computer room quite quickly at the end of the lesson and left Dakota to log off on her own.

"What did you do?" James asked walking over to Dakota, Bruce hot on his heels.

"Beats me, she just suddenly went all upset and teary on me." Dakota said standing up and walking out of the room. "You should probably go find her, see if she's okay."

James sighed. "I was going to go to play in the footie match this afternoon!"

"You can still come to the after party drinks." Bruce said. "Hey, Dakota want to join us?"

"And what exactly do I want to join you with?" Dakota sighed.

"Well you can either play or cheer us on, a bunch of us are going to play the girls. Then we usually go to the pool, get a bit tipsy, and have fun." Bruce said nudging Dakota with his elbow.

"Sounds lovely." she replied screwing her face in mock disgust. "I'll bring my togs."

"It's a swimming costume over here." James said.

Bruce and James left Dakota and headed down towards sports field where a large number of students were milling about. Dakota sighed and made her way to Kerry's room.

"Kerry?" Dakota asked as she knocked on the door. "You okay?"

"Leave me alone!" Kerry sobbed from the other side of the door.

"Seriously!" Dakota sighed.

The door opened and Gabrielle was stood before Dakota. "She really does want to be left alone." she said.

Dakota huffed. "What have I done this time?"

"It's not about what you did; it's about what others did." Gabrielle said closing the door.

Dakota frowned at the closed door. "Riddles are bullshit!" she shouted at the door before walking out onto CHERUB campus for one of the many times that day.

The afternoon sun was slowly setting, bathing the campus in a deep orange. Dakota reached the empty athletics track and took of her shoes; she kicked them off to one side and threw her fleece beside it. She paced angrily along the length of the bench, momentarily running a hand through her hair.

"Bollocks!" Dakota growled.

"Someone's in a mood." Sam said walking over to where Dakota was pacing.

"Piss off." Dakota said.

Sam shrugged and sat on the bench, slowly untying his shoes.

"Sorry." Dakota mumbled sitting down beside him.

"Don't worry, you're in a foul mood, its understandable." he said. "Want to talk about it?"

Dakota frowned at the ground running a thumb across the scars on her wrist thoughtfully. "You wouldn't tell anybody?"

Sam grinned; happy for once that someone was trusting him. "Who would I tell?"

Dakota nodded a looked at him. "I guess I can trust you." she leaned in close and put her lips to Sam's ear. "I may of accidently kissed James, once or twice."

"Accidently?" Sam interrupted.

"Shut up. No he sort of came onto me. I think Kerry might know what happened."

"That is something you should be swearing about." Sam chuckled. "Though I am pretty sure you could crush Kerry in a fight."

Dakota leaned back and eyed Sam, his brown her had turned copper in the sun. She couldn't understand why nobody liked him, why he didn't have girls dropping at his feet. "Yeah, I could tell her but I have gotten all prepared to entrust her with information about Russia. I don't want it fucked up with the James situation."

"Tell her, it gets a weight of your chest." Sam said.

"Well we aren't going to get any fitter just sitting around."

Dakota took off round the track jogging slowly, listening to the odd cheers from down at the field. Sam watched her as her long legs carried her round the track.

"Aren't you gonna join me?" she asked once she had completed a lap. Sam nodded and got stiffly to his feet.

After a good hours run Dakota stopped by her shoes breathing hard from the exercise. Sam was only just breaking a sweat, his breathing only slightly out.

"That was good." Dakota panted scraping her hair back into a tie.

"Definitely." Sam agreed bending down and picking up his shoes.

Dakota picked up her own belongings. "I'll see you around?"

"Of course." Sam said. "You know, you suit your hair tied up."

Dakota blushed at the compliment. "Thanks."

"No problem." Sam said walking off towards field, hoping to catch the last few minutes of the game.

Dakota made her way back to her room, unlocking her door and entering the room she stripped of her sweaty clothes before heading to the shower. Once clean Dakota slipped a bikini on underneath her clothes, the only form of togs Kerry had leant her. She pulled her fleece on before heading down to the pools.  
>James, Kerry, Bruce, and Gabrielle were sat around the pools edge when Dakota entered.<p>

"Well look who it is!" James slurred from his place beside Kerry. Kerry's eyes were red and puffy and she kept her gaze trained on the tiles.

"Pissed already are we?" Dakota asked sitting down in the circle.

"Yeah." James grinned taking a swig from a wine bottle. "Want some?"

Dakota batted the bottle away. "Not at the moment."

Lauren and Rat appeared. "We have more!" Rat exclaimed.  
>placing a Tesco bag in the middle of the circle. Kyle reached for the nearest bottle and uncorked it before taking a long swig.<p>

"Oi! Don't drink it all you poof" Gabrielle exclaimed snatching the bottle from Kyle's hands.

Rat stood up and pulled his top over his head. "Well I'm bored. Let's go swimming."

Everyone stripped to their swimming costumes and leapt into the water, Dakota was the only one still sat beside the pool.

"Oh come on Dakota!" Bruce said sipping some wine from one of the bottles.

"I don't know..." she trailed off and clutched her knees.

"There's nothing to be scared of. It's only water!" Kerry added, her own words slightly slurred.

After half an hour all of Dakota's friends were drunk and splashing around in the pool. Dakota dipped her toes into the cold water, swirling them around to make miniature whirl pools.

"You're coming in." James said popping up where Dakota's feet were placed in the water.

"What?" she asked.

James didn't answer, his hands wrapped around Dakota's ankles and he pulled her into the water. The cold water paralysed Dakota's lungs and for a panicking moment when she resurfaced she couldn't breathe and was gasping and splashing about. Before she could breathe in a lungful of air James' arms wrapped around her waist and dragged her beneath the water's surface.

Dakota opened her eyes to see nothing, her eyes burned from the chlorine. She tried freeing herself but another weight came down on her, before she could stop them the images of Russia played across her closed eye lids. The cold salty water, the weight of a man holding her down and then the electricity cursing through the water and across her skin. She gasped and her lungs filled with water.

"Haha! She's struggling!" James chuckled as himself and Bruce held her down.

"Guys, maybe you should stop." Kerry said hauling herself onto the side of the pool.

"Nah, its okay she has stopped struggling now!" Bruce said letting go. James released Dakota and she floated.

"I don't think she's meant to do that!" Lauren gasped.

"She's faking." James said grinning and wiping his spiked hair out of his eyes.

Bruce watched her floating body uncertainly. "I don't think so mate."

James felt his stomach sink as he watched her body float. Bruce and James swam to Dakota and flipped her onto her back. Rat helped haul her out of the pool, once she was lying on the side James and Bruce crouched beside her. Her skin was pale and lips blue, her chest still.

James thought back to his Basic training and tipped Dakota's head back, checking her air way was clear before pinching her nose closed. He covered her mouth with his and blew. Kerry watched nervously biting her nails.

"We're going to get suspended!" Gabrielle shrieked covering her eyes.

"Bruce." James muttered.

Bruce unzipped Dakota's fleece and placed his fists on her chest. "One, two, three, four, five." He panted.

James leant down and blew again; he leant back on his heels and watched. Nothing happened.

"One, two, three, four, five." he pumped his fist firmly against her chest.

James leant over and breathed in releasing the breath of air into Dakota. Two tense seconds passed before Dakota's eyes flew open and she began coughing up water. Bruce rolled her over onto her side so the she could breathe.

"You fucking idiots." She coughed clutching her fists and breathing deeply.

"We are so sorry!" James mumbled stroking her hair out the way.

"_Don't touch me_." Dakota growled in Russian.

"Dakota are you okay?" Kerry asked shuffling towards her friend.

"_Leave me alone_." She repeated the Russian rolling off her tongue, she sat back shivering. Tears began streaming down her face and she buried her head in her hands.

"It's me Kerry, you're fine. You're in England." Kerry said reaching out to take her friends hand.

Lauren scurried off and came back moments later with a towel. "Take off your jacket."

Dakota obeyed with numb fingers sliding the wet fabric off her shoulders. Everyone stared wide eyed at the scars lining her back before she covered them with the towel. "We should go get you checked out by the nurse." Kerry said.

Dakota nodded and let her friend lead her out of the pools. Still cold and weak Lauren took her other arm and together they took her across campus.

Kerry was shaking as she sat beside Lauren.

"It will be okay." Lauren said trying to reassure both herself and Kerry.

Kerry shook her head and sniffed. "It is obvious we are drunk! We could get booted off campus."

Lauren shook her head slowly and wrapped her arms around the other girl. "As long as Dakota forgives us we should be fine."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

** So what do you think? This is a result of me trying to do my ICT coursework but as you can tell I was procrastinating once again :)**

**Sorry for any spelling errors and sentence mishaps and whatever. SORRY IF RUSHED.**

**Should I write first or third person? Which do you prefer and think is better?**

**Oh and should I make Dakota forgive the others?**

**THANKS to wolfergirl, anon and LilMissCandy for continuously reviewing! Oh and Gembomz.x but you know I'm already grateful!**

**Reviews help a crippled soul ^_^**

**Churr xx**


	18. Shatter

**Tis in THIRD PERSON**

* * *

><p>Dakota walked into the canteen and joined the end of the queue; she could feel six uncertain gazes trained on her. When she glanced sideways she found Bruce, James, Kerry, Gabrielle, Rat and Lauren all watching her.<p>

"You think she's told Zara?" Bruce asked his friends, not tearing his gaze from Dakota.

"If she did, we will most likely be kicked off CHERUB." Kerry said. "We were under the influence of alcohol and as a result someone almost drowned."

"Kyle is lucky he got that mission last night." Gabrielle sighed picking at the grapes on her plate. "He will be out of harm's way until he gets back."

"I don't want to leave CHERUB." Lauren mumbled reaching over and taking Rat's hand in hers.

"I don't think any of us do." James said not even bothering to glare at his sister and Rat, all his friends nodded in agreement.

Dakota held her tray steady as she walked towards her friends table, when she caught James's gaze he suddenly became interested in his napkin. Dakota sighed and in a split second made a decision, she walked past her friends and their table to the back left corner of the room by the bins and sat down.

Sam glanced up from his porridge alarmed as Dakota sat down opposite him. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"What does it look like?" Dakota replied shovelling a spoonful of dry cocoa pops in her mouth.

"Aren't your friends over there?" Sam asked trying to pat some of his unruly spikes of his hair down.

"Yes, but I'm not exactly happy with them at the minute." Dakota said.

The spikes of hair Sam had tried flattening were stood on end. "You forgot the milk."

"I don't like milk on cereal." she replied shoving another spoonful of cereal in her mouth.

Sam concluded that it was unlikely that Dakota would be moving any time soon so he got back to eating his porridge which had started to go cold.

"Are they staring?" Dakota asked.

Sam glanced up to find nearly every CHERUB agent looking in their direction. "Yeah, they look surprised."

Dakota smirked at her food. "Serves them right."

"So, what happened?" Sam asked.

Dakota picked up her glass of orange juice, taking a small sip before answering. "They organised after match drinks at the pool, everyone got wasted except me." Dakota shrugged placing the glass on the table. "They were messing around in the pool."

"What kind of messing?" Sam asked raising an eyebrow suggestively.

"You sick minded bastard!" Dakota exclaimed flicking a cocoa pop at him.

Sam held up his hands. "Forget I said anything. Please continue."

"Anyway, James and Bruce dragged me under water; I had a flashback and kind of swallowed the contents of the swimming pool."

"Ew." Sam gasped.

"How is that ew? I almost died!"

"There are little kids that piss in that pool and have you ever thought about the floating genitalia?"

Dakota choked on her orange juice. "Oh god!" she spluttered as orange juice poured from her nose. "I think I'm gonna be sick!"

"Well don't puke on me!" Sam said spooning the last of his porridge into his mouth.

"I will purposely puke all over you as you placed that disgusting image in my head!"

Sam chuckled as he ducked the fist aiming for his head.

Kerry watched in shock as the events rolled out before her.

"Did she just sit with Sam?" Bruce asked.

"Uh-huh." James murmured.

"Did she just openly laugh with Sam?" Bruce asked again.

"I think she might be flirting." Rat said shrugging his shoulders when all his friends stared at him. "What?"

"Why would she flirt with him?" James asked appalled at the fact that she was flirting with a nobody when she could be with him.

"He his kind of cute." Lauren said around her toast.

Rat heaved a dramatic sigh.'"Please tell me I didn't just hear that?"

Lauren shrugged and kissed Rat on the cheek.

Kerry intercepted Dakota as she walked from the athletics track to the foggy rose smelling changing rooms.

"Did you tell?" Kerry asked.

Dakota untied her ponytail and stared at her feet as they walked into the changing rooms. "Not yet."

"You do realise it's our whole CHERUB career on the line?" Kerry said unlacing her shoes as sat down on bench.

Dakota sat next to her and rested her hands on her knees. "It's not only yours, its mine too."

Kerry turned to her friend. "What do you mean? You weren't even drunk!"

"Think about it the other way." She said softly picking at her nails. "What would you think if there was a sober person in a crowd of drunks?"

"I don't know?" Kerry sighed sitting back against the wall.

"Think about it." Dakota stood up and walked to the other side of the changing rooms to start getting changed.

Kerry stayed sat where she was thinking about the other side of the scenario. She knew she had to leave the changing rooms when everyone started filling out and she wasn't changed, she quickly stripped and pulled her clean clothes over her head, sticking the dirty ones in a bag which she slung over her shoulder.

Kerry made it to History with only a few minutes to spare and the only empty seats were one next to Dakota who was sat at the front of the room in the corner and one next to James at the very back. Kerry sat at the seat beside Dakota who didn't even look up from the History book she was reading. Kerry was about to ask Dakota a question when someone burst into the room. It was Amy.

"Hello, if you don't already know me I am Amy Collins." Amy paused and gazed round the room. "Mr South was unable to take this lesson as he seems to think that going to play golf is more important, so he asked me to take it. If you all give him positive reports about my teaching I get out of my History coursework."

Everyone chuckled at this except for Dakota who was still turning the pages of the book.

"Now I have everyone's attention, except one." Amy said inclining her head in Dakota's direction, the class began muttering and yet she still didn't look up. "I want to make this lesson fun. So I am going to do a History quiz, a picture, word or number is going to flash up about something you have studied, you just have to name the topic. You in your teams of two at your desk are going to answer them, and I will tally it up at the end."

Some boy at the back of the room raised his hand.

"Yes?" Amy asked plugging the laptop into the projector.

"It's sort of a fail as Dakota has a photographic memory." he said.

The class went silent as every head turned to Dakota, even Amy. Dakota took this moment to glance up from the text book to find the whole class staring at her.

"Did I miss something?" Dakota asked.

"We'll see how it goes." Amy said returning to the laptop and starting the quiz.

By the end of the quiz Dakota had answered most of the questions except for some.

"See Mark? It wasn't a fail, Dakota didn't get a hundred percent." Amy said once she had collected all the answer sheets.

Mark grumbled something before quietening down. Kerry turned her attention back to Dakota who was furiously scribbling down a date- 1912 when the Titanic sunk, a date which everyone knew.

"Do you not know that?" Kerry asked placing her History book in her bag.

"No." Dakota grumbled.

"But don't you have a photographic memory?" she asked.

Dakota slammed the pen on the desk before rounding on Kerry. "Yes I have an eidetic memory but it doesn't mean I remember everything!"

"Yes it does! You can read something and remember it perfectly as if it was in front of you!" Kerry retorted.

"That is why I hate it!" Dakota exclaimed throwing her hands up and kicking the chair back.

Silence filled the room as all eyes settled on the commotion at the front of the room.

"Most people would trade anything never having to read notes again and just remember everything!" Kerry shouted.

Dakota smirked. "Well I would trade anything for a normal memory. There are some things I just want to forget but I can't." she said angrily picking up her bag and storming out of the room.

James walked up to Kerry. "Everything alright?"

Kerry shook her head and wrapped her arms round him. "It never clicked. I always thought she was so lucky."

"Is she not?" James asked.

Kerry shook her head as tears streamed down her face.

Dakota stormed across campus the images fresh in the back of her mind, the blood and the pain. She knew there was no point in taking the elevator because she wouldn't be able to control her fear. Taking the stairs two at a time she ran into her room, the tears stinging the back of her eyes.

She fumbled through her bathroom draws and shelves looking for anything, and then she remembered in a moment of complete and utter calm that Zara had taken everything out of her room which could be used to self harm.

Dakota let a frustrated growl and kicked the wall which resulted in a searing pain from her toes. Limping across the room she opened her door and slammed it shut, she gazed at James's door opposite her before striding across and yanking the door knob. It rattled but didn't open. Dakota paced outside his door trying to think of anyone else who would probably have something sharp in their room.

Walking with a new found eagerness Dakota walked down the corridor, keeping her head low and not making eye contact. She was almost at the door when she felt a hand on her arm.

"You okay?" Bruce asked.

Dakota turned to face him and smiled. "I'm fine."

Bruce shrugged and looked at his feet. "Just Kerry was worried you would do something drastic."

Dakota sighed. "You need more faith, but I need to get to Dr Fell's appointment or she'll skin me alive."

"Oh yeah, of course." Bruce said. "Well I'll see you round."

"See you."

Bruce turned and walked back down the hall, glancing over his shoulder once to see Dakota stood still watching him.

Once Bruce had disappeared around the corner Dakota finished the last few steps to the door she wanted. She was about to bring her fist down on the door when it opened.

"Oh, hello." Sam said surprised when he saw Dakota stood before him fist raised.

"Can I come in." Dakota asked, her voice was strained as she lowered her fist.

"Sure." Sam said stepping aside, once Dakota had entered the room he glanced outside to see of anyone was there before closing the door.

"So what's up?" Sam asked turning to face Dakota, who wasn't where he had left her. Sam turned to sound of crashing coming from his bathroom; confused he made his way over. "Dakota?"

The pain was building up inside Dakota and she was starting to lose hope when she found the shaving razor, left carelessly on the edge of the sink.

"Shit!" Sam gasped entering the bathroom. "Don't even think about it!"

Dakota turned to face him twirling the plastic razor in her hand. "It hurts." she whispered a tear streaking down her face.

Sam raised his hands. "Look, I know, just pass the razor."

Dakota held the razor in her line of vision, gazing at the blades. It was her jail free card. Her ticket to a painless freedom, where you don't remember everything that's happened to you. "Stop me. Please." she whispered as she brought the blade down on her wrist and dragged it along her skin. Reopening the closed scars.

Sam knew that if he didn't do something now he would be blamed for her death. He steadied himself before launching himself at her. He knew she could easily beat him, but he had the element of surprise.

They hit the ground with a thud and Dakota cried out in pain. Before Sam could ask her what was wrong or apologise he quickly grabbed the razor.

Dakota was holding it in a clenched fist and Sam couldn't pry it from her grip.

"Damn you." he muttered bringing her fist to his mouth and biting down.

"Ow!" Dakota gasped letting go of the razor.

Sam grabbed it and flung it behind him before holding both Dakota's wrist by her head, trying to ignore the warmth of her blood seeping through his fingers.

Tears were rolling down Dakota's cheeks as Sam pinned her to the ground. "Please get off." she whispered.

"As long as you promise not to batter me to the ground."

"I promise."

Sam eased himself off Dakota before helping her to her feet. She leaned heavily against him as he led her to his bed. He sat her down before quickly running back to his bathroom to grab the small hand towel.

Sam placed the towel over wrist to stem the blood flow. He sat down next to her on the bed and moved back so his back rested against the wall. Dakota shuffled back and curled up next to him, the tears flowing freely from her eyes.

"Shh, it's okay. You aren't there." Sam said soothingly wrapping his free arm around her shoulders, the other holding the towel firmly in place.

Within an hour Dakota was drained of tears and rested her head on Sam's chest sniffling. "Thanks." she mumbled.

"No problem." Sam said. "Want a tissue? I would rather not have your snot all over my lovely navy shirt."

Dakota gave a small chuckle. "Sorry." she sat up stiffly and Sam reached over to his bedside table and grabbed the box of tissues.

After using half the contents of the box Dakota sat back next to Sam. "It's horrible sometimes, having a photographic memory." Dakota said fiddling with the duvet cover. "Remembering everything."

"I'm sure there must be a solution right?" Sam asked.

Dakota shrugged. "I don't know." she sighed. "Dr Fell said talking and drawing about it helps, but there is only so much you can tell a person."

"Until they are completely grossed out?" Sam asked turning slightly so he could face Dakota.

"Yeah I guess so," Dakota chuckled. "Well until you tell them that you had to shit and piss in the clothes you were wearing as you were chained to a chair?"

"You had to do that?" Sam gasped in disbelief.

"Yeah..." she sighed staring into the distance. "It was pretty horrific."

"What about, um you know?" Sam blushed staring at the bed.

"What?"

"Like your period what happened then?"

Dakota blushed. "Oh, um well at the age I was tortured I was too young."

"Ohhh." Sam mumbled. "Sorry if that was a bit too personal."

"It's okay. It's just one of those many things movies miss out."

"Yeah it is."

"You know I fell better already." Dakota said. "Talking about it kind of helps."

"Really? Talking about pissing and periods helps?" Sam asked.

"Oh shut up!" Dakota sighed crossing her arms across her chest, careful not to knock the towel. She did feel better, not a lot but it was a start. Maybe the only way is just learn how to trust.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Well hello.**

**This was in third person, do you like? or should I go back to first again?**

**I think I may alternate.**

**Sorry for errors and everything**

**Thanks for reviewing :)**

**Chur x**


	19. Consequences

Dakota tore the wrapper of her crunchie bar open, she began eating it as she made her way across campus and to her room. The lights were coming on as the sky above began to darken. Dakota quickened her pace as the first few drops of rain began to fall.

Dakota passed Kerry as she darted inside the building, just missing the heavy downpour of rain. "Hey." Kerry said.

Dakota glanced over at her friend. Gabriella was stood next to Kerry and smiled when she caught Dakota's gaze.

"Hi." Dakota replied.

"Have you seen James anywhere?"

"No sorry."

Kerry had been watching Dakota with sad eyes ever since their argument. Dakota found it annoying and preferred it when they were wary of her. She knew Kerry had told James and that he had probably told the whole campus. The staring was increasing, but this allowed Dakota to build an even stronger wall in which she could hide her true emotions behind.

Dakota threw her chocolate wrapper to the floor when she entered her room; she walked over to her unmade bed and sat down. Her cell phone rested on the bedside table next to her charging away. She watched it anxiously until it being vibrating and hopping across the wood. Dakota wrestled with the charger until she had the phone pressed firmly to her ear.

"So?" Dakota asked into the phone.

"I got it. I'm a fucking black shirt." Sam replied.

"Well done!" Dakota chuckled. "Shit, we need to celebrate!"

"I'm already one step ahead."

There was a knock on Dakota's door and she walked over. "Hang on someone's at the door."

"Okay."

Dakota opened the door. "Yes?"

"It's celebrating time bitch." Sam said pocketing his phone while holding a bag of skittles and a two litre bottle of L&P in the other hand.

"Well done!" Dakota cried leaping on Sam and wrapping her arms round his neck.

"Calm down woman!" came Sam's muffled response.

Dakota stepped back so Sam could enter the room and close the door behind himself.

They sat on the edge of the bed and opened the bag of skittles.

"Why has it taken so long for you to get your black shirt? You came back from the mission a while ago right?"

Sam nodded chewing on a skittle. "Yeah, I got back the day before you. I think it had to be checked through with my mission partner, who was this bloke from the CIA. Something to do with James's mission."

"That makes sense." Dakota unscrewed the lid of the bottle of L&P and took a sip. "Do you have any new missions now you're a black shirt"

"I think so, Zara told me to go to the Mission Control room tomorrow morning for a debrief." he said.

Dakota sighed. "I don' think I will ever be asked on another mission."

"You will." Sam said patting her shoulder. "It's only a matter of time. Besides you just got back."

"True."

Dakota's room phone rang three shrill notes before she reached across. "Hello?"

"Dakota?" A voice asked.

"Speaking."

"I am Meryl Spencer and I need you in Mission Control immediately." said Meryl.

"Okay." Dakota said hanging up, she turned to face Sam. "Sorry I'm going to be a major party pooper. I've just been asked to see someone called Meryl Spencer."

Sam nodded and stood up. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Dakota chuckled. "Now get out of my room. I don't need some perv like you rooting through my stuff."

"I'm so glad you think so highly of me." Sam muttered standing up and following Dakota out the room.

Dakota made her way to Mission Control where she was met by a strong woman.

"Dakota! So great you could make it." Meryl said. "Sorry it is so late."

"No problem." Dakota replied.

"Sit." Meryl said pointing to a chair sat in front of a table.

Dakota walked over to the blue plastic chair and sat down. Meryl moved around he table and stood opposite.

"Now, before you can go on any proper missions we need to see if you can cope. From what I've read your last episode was four weeks ago?" Meryl said.

Dakota smirked but nodded, not wanting to ruin a moment where she could be on missions.

"Right, all your physical and mental abilities are right on track. Your mathematical skills are a bit sketchy but we can soon sort that out with some tuition. But enough about you," Meryl said placing a person's file on the table in front of Dakota. "Let me tell you about Claudia Paridge. She is eighty four, a religious woman, but extremely rich. Your aim is to steal as much as possible in the next week."

Dakota stared at the file stunned; all normal words had left her mind. Was she really getting her first practice mission? "Uh..." she murmured unsure what to say.

Meryl continued her little speech barely noticing Dakota's lack of enthusiasm. "We will be keeping and eye on your work and how you react in certain situations. You will have a series of practice missions over the next few weeks."

Dakota picked at the file. "Do you know how many I will need to do?"

Meryl scratched her head thoughtfully. "We won't know for sure until we have seen you do your first one. We hope it will only be a few, as you probably want to get on missions straight away." Meryl glanced around quickly before lowering her voice. "I know that James has kicked up a right fuss about being suspended over his mission."

"I can see that happening." Dakota said opening the file. Staring back at her from a small coloured picture was Claudia, the photo resembled one from a passport and the old woman with deep set eyes and curly grey hair looked average, like any other old woman you would pass on the street.

Dakota read through the file as Meryl continued debriefing her. "We will be tracking your every move, we have placed a tracker in your computer, and video cameras in Ms Plaridge's house. You will be continuing your lessons as normal so you can catch up with everyone else, though between you and I, I doubt that will take long."

Dakota smiled and placed the file on the table. "So shall I go get started?" she said standing up.

"Don't you want the file to read more?" Meryl asked. "I'm sure I can get you a copy, seen as it's not your proper mission yet."

Dakota shook her head and walked over to the door.

"Oh and Dakota?" Meryl called. Dakota turned back. "I'm you new handler, so I won't be handling this mission but it will be placed with John Jones who will be arriving back to campus later."

"Okay, thanks." Dakota said. "And nice to meet you."

Dakota walked out of the room and right into a cleaning trolley. "Shit!" she gasped as her knee collided with the trolley.

"Sorry." a heavily built girl said. "Didn't think there would be anyone up here."

"It's okay." Dakota said rubbing her knee.

"I'm Dana." she said holding out her hand. "Dana Smith."

Dakota shook it. "Dakota-"

"-I know." Dana interrupted. "Everyone knows."

Dakota sighed. "Yeah I guess everyone does."

"All I can say is that it's better than cleaning." Dana muttered.

Dakota chuckled and gingerly put weight on her sore leg. "Well it was nice meeting you, I had best let you get on with you cleaning."

Dana sighed and picked up a can of polish and a cloth. "Yeah..."

Dakota walked over to the elevator and hit the down button. The classical music which streamed though the speaker didn't help Dakota's nerves; she closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing while gripping the hand rail so that her knuckles turned white.

Dakota walked into the cafeteria which was slowly closing down, nearly all the other students had left so Dakota picked up a tray and walked over to the remains of the food. Placing a helping of pasta on a plate she walked back to a table and sat down.

After finishing her food Dakota slowly made her way back to her room. As she reached her door James was slowly closing his own door opposite. Dakota thought he looked rather suspicious as he had slowly backed into his room. Once his door was closed Dakota walked quietly over and placed her ear to the door.

She could hear James's muffled voice and then a strong Australian voice, one she had only recently heard. Their voices were muffled and they spoke with a sense of urgency. Dakota screwed up her face at the thought of what they could be doing before quickly going into her room.

Once she had locked her own door she gazed over at her bed, it looked inviting. A warm comfortable haven, but she knew she had to get started with her mission. She didn't know how strong CHERUB's security system was but she was soon going to find out. Sitting down in front of her computer she clicked her knuckles before turning on her computer and sitting back in her chair to wait while the system booted up.

A loud commotion caught Dakota's attention; she tore her gaze from the computer screen. Rubbing her eyes she glanced at her hastily scribbled notes and the clock, it had been two hours and she was only just through the fire wall. She walked over to open her room door and opened it.

Dakota blinked a few times as she took the scene in before her, quite not taking it in.

"Oh, let me guess," Lauren sneered. "You were just sitting there when your tops flew off over your heads and Dana's bra dropped in your hand?"

Dakota gazed at the scene before her. James with no top and Dana's top covering her front, Lauren was brandishing a stick of pink candy. "Well this was unexpected." Dakota said leaning against the door frame.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Alright?**

**^^ As you can see I added a little line from The Fall. (Lauren's speech) thought it would be nice to tie it in.**

**Sorry its took ages to update, School, Exams, Silver D of E...fun times...(note sarcasm)**

**Ta x**


	20. Reveal

Dakota stared at her bowl of cereal; she watched the milk slowly eat away at the coco pops. She hadn't been thinking clearly this morning and had poured milk all over her cereal. The soggy brown lumps which floated amongst the brown liquid made her stomach churn.

"You look dead." Sam said sitting down opposite Dakota, and smoothing down a few unruly strands of hair.

"I am dead." Dakota sighed pushing her tray to one side and resting her head on the table.

"Sleep badly?" Sam asked cutting into his omelette.

"I didn't sleep." Dakota grumbled lifting her head and scowling through her hair.

Sam quickly swallowed his food. "Why didn't you sleep?"

"I was hacking into CHERUB's system when I got distracted by some yelling, turns out James had cheated on Kerry with Dana and Lauren had walked in on them. I'm not supposed to say anything to Kerry as James is going to tell her himself." Dakota paused for breath and took a long gulp of her orange juice. "Anyway by the time I got back to my computer, some stupid CHERUB staff and changed the access code to the fire wall so I had to re-hack it."

Sam nodded thoughtfully. "Why do I sense a 'but'?"

Dakota smirked. "But this CHERUB staff member was online at the same time and kept on changing the system, so in the end I created a virus and sent it through. The whole system is messed up now."

"Oh, want to hear my news?" Sam asked.

"Why not? Blow me away."

"James has eloped with Dana and Kerry is in tears." Sam said.

"Seriously?" Dakota gasped.

Sam shrugged. "It's only campus gossip."

"So? It can still be credible." she said. " Besides what does he see in Dana though?"

"She has huge tits."

Dakota sighed and replaced her head on the table. "Boys and tits." she sighed. "I will never understand."

Sam smirked. "It's like girls and cock."

Dakota's head flew up. "Excuse me?"

"Girls and cock." Sam grinned. "I know you secretly want some."

Dakota blushed a deep red. "I do not!" she retorted.

"You so do!" Sam chortled relishing in the fact he could cause the usual hard faced Dakota to blush. "I know you want mine."

Dakota huffed. "No I don't because you are so small it doesn't even count."

"You haven't even seen how big I am, so you can't really say." Sam said.

"Oh piss off." Dakota sighed slouching back in her chair and stretching her legs out beneath the table momentarily knocking Sam's foot.

"Oh we're getting physical now, huh?" Sam said in mock anger.

"Yeah, totally. I want you so bad I can't help but touch you." Dakota grinned playfully kicking Sam in the shin.

"Uh sorry to interrupt." Bruce said walking over and looking thoroughly embarrassed about hearing their conversation.

Sam laughed at Bruce while Dakota chuckled. "What do you want Bruce?" she asked.

"Kerry asked me to ask you whether you had cheated on her with James." Bruce said rocking on his feet uncertainly.

"Well that's a rather personal question; shouldn't she be asking not you?" Dakota replied hotly.

Bruce shrugged "Never mind." and walked over to his table where a red eyed Kerry was watching her.

"What was that about?" Sam asked.

Dakota shrugged. "Guess Kerry is being a bit insecure."

"Has anything actually gone on between the two of you?"

Dakota chewed on her bottom lip uncertainly. "Might have."

Sam sighed. "I never thought you would stoop so low."

The words stung Dakota and she stared at the table hurt. "It wasn't voluntary." she muttered. "Both times I was in hospital, recovering from head injuries!"

"Of course." Sam said in a tone which suggested he didn't quite believe her.

"It's true! Besides I don't like him that way." Dakota sighed. "And it was only a kiss, nothing more."

"I don't see why you should confess to me. Confess to Kerry." Sam stood up leaving his tray. "Well I have a mission briefing to get to." and walked out the cafeteria.

Dakota stared at his vacant seat; her once grumpy mood had plummeted further. For some reason she felt dirty for kissing James. Before it hadn't seemed that bad, but in front of Sam it seemed like something so terrible, something that couldn't be forgiven. She sighed unhappily and stood up, picking up Sam's tray she dumped them on one of the shelves by the bin and walked out the cafeteria.

While Dakota walked across campus to her first lesson she tried to think of bright happy thoughts, something to bring up her mood but nothing helped. Hands in pockets and hung low she pushed passed gaggles of red shirts chasing each other and playing in the sunshine.

By the time she entered her Physics classroom she was in a terrible mood. Spotting a table in the back corner of the room she headed towards it and sat down. It wasn't improved when a snivelling Kerry took the seat next to her.

Dakota didn't speak to Kerry but she could feel her eyes watching her every move. She didn't see the point in copying down the notes from the board and so just doodled in her book. Within in two minutes the outline of an extravagant dragon adorned the first page of her book.

"You have slept with James." Kerry said watching her friend who stopped drawing to glance sideways at her, bright blue eyes boring into her.

"I haven't." Dakota said returning her gaze to the front of the room.

"Then why did you act that way earlier when Bruce asked?" Kerry asked.

"Fine." Dakota sighed tapping the table with her pen. "We kissed, twice. Every time it was James coming at me."

"So it's true." Kerry sniffled. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Why would I? Nothing happened." Dakota retorted.

"Yes something did! You cheated on me with my boyfriend!" Kerry shouted tears streaming down her face.

Dakota stared coldly at the class who had all turned round to see what the commotion was.

"Everything alright ladies?" the teacher asked.

"Fine miss, Kerry here is a bit insecure over her boyfriend." Dakota said. "Should I take her outside to calm down?"

"Don't be too long." The teacher said turning back to the white board.

Dakota took Kerry by the elbow and steered her out the room before she could do or say anything else.

"Are you going to be all nice and calm for me? Let me explain?" Dakota asked holding her friends shoulders and looking down on her as if she were a kid.

"Fine." Kerry spat.

"First time," Dakota said. "Paris, France. I was in hospital recovering from a head injury and James took advantage of me. Second time I was in hospital recovering from my 'episode' as I have heard people refer it to, and he kissed me then. I always broke it off afterwards and gave him a huge speech about how he was with you. Capeesh?"

Kerry sniffed and wiped the remaining tears from her face. "You're acting like this whole situation is a whole joke!" she spluttered.

Dakota sighed and turned away from Kerry as she tried to get her anger under control, she didn't want to hurt Kerry.

Kerry saw her opportunity and in moment of pure anger she attacked.

Dakota felt a force push against her, she stumbled and collided with the wall head first. Kerry stepped back as Dakota turned around rubbing her forehead.

"What the-" Dakota didn't get to finish her sentence as Kerry launched herself at her friend. Kerry went hard and low, as if she were in a rugby match her shoulder screamed out in pain as it me Dakota's strong body.

Dakota's head hit the wall a second time; a loud thud was heard as it made impact with the plaster. Dakota sat leaning against the hard wall dazed. A sharp pain was emitting from the blow to the back of her head and dull throb from the lump forming at the front.

"Why don't you fight back!" Kerry screamed tears rolling down her face. "You wimp!"

Kerry brought her fist down and she heard the satisfying crunch of a broken nose. By this time students were filing out of the classrooms, hoping to get a glimpse of the whole commotion.

The pain in Dakota's head was increasing by the minute, she was used to hard blows to the head but she never experienced pain like this before.

Her breathing came out in short gasps and she clutched her head, pulling at strands of hair, trying to find a way to release the pain.

Bruce was holding a distraught Kerry back while students watched stunned.

"Everyone get back!" Zara shouted as she marched down the hall way. "What happened?"

"Kerry and Dakota got in a fight, but saying that it was mostly Kerry beating up-"

Bruce never got to finish as Dakota let out a strangled cry of pain before crumpling to the ground unmoving.

**Five days later**

Zara was stood in front of the screen, the MRI scans of Dakota's head was displayed in black and white. Zara knew Dakota was one of CHERUB's best agents and somehow she always seemed to have the worst luck. Before she became Chair Woman and before Dakota went to Russia, Zara used to see Dakota the small fearless child fighting the other red shirts and taking control of her friends. She was a natural leader. Zara didn't want her to die on her watch; it had been a relief, a miracle when she turned up alive after five years.

"As you can see here she had a small bleed in her head, it clotted. She was ticking time bomb, it could've burst at any time but the blow to the back of the head ruptured it." Dr Smith said breaking Zara's thoughts.

Zara nodded. "How come we didn't see it in previous scans?"

Dr Smith placed a different set of scans next to the original ones. "These are the scans from when she arrived." he pointed to a small spec on the scan a shade darker to the rest. "This is the bleed, as you can see it's so small. You wouldn't see it if you weren't looking for it."

"How long until she will fully wake up?" Zara asked.

"Sometime this week I should say, but we will have to reassess once she's awake."

There was a shrill beeping and Zara looked up at Dr Smith alarmed. "What's that?"

"That means Dakota is awake." Dr Smith said walking swiftly out of the room.

Zara followed the doctor down the corridor and into Dakota's private room.

Dakota was flat on her back in the middle of the bed, bandage wrapped tightly round her head.

Zara watched as Dakota's eyes slowly opened as far as they could go. Heavy black bags beneath her eyes and the slight green of bruising above her eyebrows showed the only evidence to her brain surgery. However her nose was swollen and purple, restricting the use of her eyes. Dakota lifted an unsteady hand, her fingertips explored the rough surface of the white bandaged wrapped tightly around her head.

"It hurts." Dakota mumbled through dry lips.

"I know sweetie." Zara said soothingly.

"Dakota, I'm Dr Smith." he said. Dakota's eyes followed his movements. "You've just had major brain surgery, so it will definitely hurt for a while but we've stocked you up on drugs."

Dakota closed her eyes the pain killers weren't working and she was sure about that. It felt as if her head was on fire, and as if someone had put heavy bricks on her body.

There is a soft knock at the door, Zara turned to see a young nurse stood on the doorway.

"Your wife is on line four." the nurse said in a strong eastern European accent.

"Thank you Nurse Sybil." Dr Smith said.

The accent of the nurse sent Dakota's already pain filled mind overboard. The images flashed through her mind, hanging from the ceiling by her hands, barbed wire digging into her wrists cutting away the flesh. Blood streaking down her arms, staining her pale skin.

"No." she croaked throwing the sheets off her body.

Dakota slid off the bed onto the floor, her legs unable to support her body. The shrill beeping of machines filled the room as Dr Smith and Zara surged forwards.

"Dakota! Listen to me!" Dr Smith shouted trying to hold Dakota still.

"No!" she screamed her voice cracking. Her hands moved forwards, taking Dr Smith's face in his hands.

"Dakota?" Zara asked cautiously watching the young girl holding the Doctor's face. "What are you doing?"

There was moment of utter silence as Dr Smith stared into the swollen eyes of the teenager before him. Her bright blue eyes bore into his unblinking.

"You are no Doctor." she whispered, her accent changing from British with a slight lilt to Russian. Her thumbs slid up under his eyes and stopped, she slowly ran her thumbs beneath his eyes, running them along his lash line. Dr Smith tensed. "Sleep tight." Her voice was cold.

Dakota's thumbs delved into the Doctor's eyes. "Arghhh!" Dr Smith screamed as blood trickled down his face.

Zara watched in disgust for a minute before throwing her full body weight at Dakota, something she hadn't done since her time as an agent.

Dakota crumpled beneath Zara and Dr Smith broke away crying on the floor, hands covering his eyes.

By this time various Doctors and Nurses had filed into the room to see what the commotion was. Dr Connor Layton moved to Zara's side.

"Did she have another flashback?" he asked.

Zara looked up at him from her place on the floor where she was pinning a struggling Dakota down. "She still is" Zara muttered. "How is Dr Smith?"

Connor glanced behind him to where a pool of blood stained the floor. "My colleagues have taken him to be checked over; if it's bad he may need surgery."

Zara gasped in horror. "Will she be charged?"

"I honestly don't know." Connor sighed. "But I think it best if we put her in a chemically induced coma, until she has fully healed. We don't want any more eye gouging."

Zara nodded. "You are quite right." She glanced down at the struggling agent as Dr Layton stuck a syringe in her arm, her movements stilled and she looked peaceful. Unaware of the world.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**There is chapter 20. This is a result of me 'revising' for exams which are the week after next -_-**

**It may be a while until I update again, so be prepared. **

**Sorry if you think I am overdoing it, I mean I do tend to go slightly overboard with the whole violence and being knocked out kind of thing :P**

**Adios Amigos**


	21. Uncovered

**Four Weeks Later**

Dakota was sat on the edge of the hospital bed swinging her legs back forth. She was waiting for the all clear from Dr Layton, or Dr Connor as she liked to call him.

Dr Connor walked into the room which had been Dakota's home the past five weeks even though she couldn't remember any of it.

"I have given you the all clear; however this does not mean leaping into a huge mission where you will spend more than two weeks away as you need checkups." Dr Connor said.

"Seems legit." Dakota said. "You know the bleed in my brain?"

"Yes?"

"Would that of effected me? Like not able to hold numbers in my short term memory?"

Dr Connor sighed. "Probably, but remember the brain is a mysterious part of your body which scientists are still trying to understand. The bleed you had could've affected any part of your brain."

"Oh." Dakota murmured frowning slightly.

"Well there is a taxi waiting for you outside." Dr Connor said.

"Thanks." Dakota walked out of the room and down the narrow hallway. She got cold stares from some of the nurses but not sure why, she shrugged it off and got inside the waiting taxi.

CHERUB campus was quiet and the sky was dark. Dakota walked slowly along the dimly lit path. The walk to her room was short as she was too tired to take the stairs and instead took the elevator, swallowing her fear and relaxing.

Because of her brain surgery the short walk left her tired and when she reached her room she only had the energy to push the door closed before collapsing on her bed.

Dakota woke to the late morning sun pouring through her blinds. She screwed up her face and rolled over, she reached for her alarm clock and turned it to face her. It was 2.30pm.

Dakota sighed and sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes and running a hand through her tangled hair. Her room slowly came into focus and she was bombarded with bright colours.

Flowers, cards, and balloons adorned the usual plain white walls. Dakota slipped out of bed and picked up the nearest card which was sat on her desk. On the front in bright pinks it said 'Get well soon!' and on the inside it said.

**Dakota**

Hope you get well soon!

James

Dakota Sighed and chucked the card on her desk, it was a waste of paper. Unless you were going to write some long meaningful message there was otherwise no point in buying a card if you just wrote who it was for and who it was from.

A large envelope sat beneath a pot of cacti and Dakota moved the prickly plants onto her window sill before returning to the envelope. Sliding her thumb beneath the lip of the envelope she tore it open and pulled out a card.

**To Dakota**

You don't know how sorry I am for what happened. I mean it's still wrong that you cheated on me with my boyfriend, but I guess it was just a kiss. I overreacted and look at the mess you ended in. I knew my relationship with James wouldn't last, we've always been on and off and I guess I was too afraid to admit it. I hope you still like cacti, I remember when we were red shirts you always had at least ten cacti lining the window sill and I could never understand why. Please forgive me.

From Kerry.

Dakota placed the card back in its envelope and back onto the wooden desk. After going through a pile cards from various friends Dakota was sick of looking at cardboard and she was sure that if she came across another card she would kill herself. However she was disappointed at the fact that she didn't have a card from Sam.

Feeling slightly deflated Dakota stepped into the shower and turned the water on full stream. She lost track of the time and wasn't sure how long she'd been stood under the warm water, but it soon turned icy cold and she quickly turned off the cold jet of water and leapt out of the shower scrambling for the nearest towel.

Sam paused outside Dakota's room, unsure whether to go in or not. He hadn't given her a get well soon card or been there to visit her in hospital. He was back from a mission in Australia, it had been a success. But it meant he didn't hear about Dakota until he landed in Birmingham airport, stiff from the 8 hour connection flight from Dubai. He swallowed his fear and pushed the door open. Dakota was sat on the edge of her bed towel drying her long black hair.

"Hey." Sam said walking over and sitting down next to her.

Dakota's blue eyes followed his movements and settled once he was sat next to her. "Hi."

"Sorry I didn't send you a get well soon card or anything." Sam mumbled.

Dakota watched Sam closely, his skin was a different colour it had gone a deep caramel and there was a dusting of freckles across his nose, freckles she was sure she would have noticed before. "It's okay freckles."

Sam looked confused. "What?" and then her statement dawned on him. "Oh yeah," he chuckled. "Just got back from my mission in Australia."

"How was it?" Dakota asked.

"Pretty good, well as far as I'm concerned. It was about some family and stuff. Can't reveal too many important facts!" Sam said.

Dakota rolled her eyes and smiled. "Piss off! You know how badly I want to go on a mission!"

"Well stop knocking yourself out!" Sam punched Dakota playfully in the arm. She retaliated by leaping on Sam, sending him crashing to the floor.

"Get off me!" Sam grumbled from beneath Dakota.

Dakota was sat on his back; his arms were twisted painfully behind his back. "Only if you're nice to me." Dakota whispered in his ear.

Sam sighed into the carpet. "Fine I will be nice as long as you let me read that letter."

Dakota stared at the back of Sam's head puzzled. "What letter?"

Sam lifted his head from the ground long enough to speak. "That one under your bed."

Dakota leapt off Sam's back and made a dive under her bead. Sam watched her scramble beneath the bed for a bit before she shuffled backwards clutching the envelope.

Dakota sat next to Sam holding the envelope in her hands. It looked old, the ink on the front was faded and the paper slightly crumpled. "Should I open it?" she whispered afraid that if she spoke too loud this moment in time would shatter.

Sam shrugged. "It's got your name on it."

Dakota shoved the envelope into Sam's hands. "You open it."

Sam sighed and peeled open the envelope; inside was a folded wad of paper and a pile of photographs. He opened up the letter and cleared his throat. "Uh, To Rachel Dakota Costello. My beautiful child, if you're reading this then it means we must be dead. They have probably reached us, but I am sure you will be fine." Sam paused glancing uncertainly at Dakota. She stared at him. "I think you should read it."

Dakota took the letter out of his hand and folded it closed, she had tears in her eyes and she was blinking hard. "Maybe another time." she said putting the letter back in the envelope before standing up.

Sam watched her walk over to her pillow and place the letter underneath. "Are you okay?"

Dakota shrugged and gave him a stare which said leave it. "Just a bit shaken."

Sam nodded staring at the floor. "So I guess Dakota is really you middle name."

Dakota chuckled. "Yeah, I always hated my first name. It was so common."

"I was called Sam Roberts but I didn't like the name. So I changed it to Richards." Sam said. "Still close enough to still be myself."

Dakota walked across her room to her door. "You want to join me to the Mission Control room?"

Sam stood up and walked over to Dakota. "And why must we do that?"

"I want my practice mission back."

Dakota and Sam made their way towards the Mission Control building; everyone was in lessons on this sunny afternoon so not many people stopped them and asked where they were going.

Dakota knocked on a heavy oak door. "John Jones?" she asked the balding man before her.

John raised his eyebrows. "Dakota Costello?"

"That's me." Dakota said.

"So what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked leaning against the door frame.

Dakota sighed. "I was wondering if I could continue with my practice mission, I had almost finished collecting all the data I needed."

John scratched his chin thoughtfully his grey eyes watching the young agent carefully. "And you say breaking into CHERUB's data base and letting lose a virus 'work'"

Dakota shrugged sheepishly. "So does that mean I can have it back?"

John nodded. "Fine you can carry on, but no more viruses you have no idea how much work got lost."

Dakota grinned at the older man. "Thank you!" she turned around and grabbed Sam by his sleeve and led him to the elevator.

In all the excitement Dakota started talking fast, and anyone not used to the New Zealand accent wouldn't of had clue to what she was saying.

"Right so you need to use a computer and I sit there?" Sam asked for the fourth time.

Dakota sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, Sam. I just said that!"

"Right."

Dakota turned to her computer. "Now I need complete and utter silence."

Sam nodded and sat back on Dakota's bed watching her tap away at the keys and hunch towards the screen.

Within an hour Sam began dozing off and was awoken by someone gripping his shoulders tightly and shaking. "What?" he grumbled opening his eyes to see Dakota peering down at him.

Her face broke into a huge grin. "It's ready." she let go of Sam and went back to the computer.

Sam slowly got off the bed and walked over to where Dakota was sat eagerly in front of the screen. "What is it meant to be? All I see is code?"

"Wait an watch." Dakota said tapping a few keys.

The screen went blank and Sam leant forward so he was almost bent over Dakota's head squinting at the screen. "I don't get it."

"Sshhhh!" Dakota hissed.

Then suddenly the screen filled with a shot of a living room, an older woman was sat on a leather couch knitting what looked like a jumper.

"You're a paedophile?" Sam asked.

"No." Dakota said tilting her head back to look Sam in the face. "This is Claudia Paridge."

Sam glanced down at Dakota, there faces were inches apart. "Is that meant to mean something?"

"The lady from my practice mission."

"So how did you know how to get this?" Sam asked waving at the screen.

Dakota grinned and straightened up and spun her chair around. "Well I thought that seen as they were keeping tabs on my mission, that means they were obviously gonna be filming me while I'm on the mission. So I sent a virus into the system which means I can now access these cameras and they won't be able to do anything about it any time soon."

Sam chuckled. "And there I was wondering how you became the youngest ever black shirt."

Dakota stood up and walked over to her door. "Shall we go get some dinner?"

Sam glanced at the screen. "Don't you need to watch this and take notes?"

Dakota shook her head. "I've seen all I need."

Sam walked over to her. "And your photographic memory amazes me."

"Don't overdo the compliments Sam." she said walking off down the hall.

Sam closed the door and walked slowly behind her, watching the way her hips moved when she walked. They took the stairs and made it to the canteen within a matter of minutes. The queue snaked back towards the door.

Sam glanced ahead at the food being served. "What is that?" he said wrinkling his nose in disgust a lumpy mixture.

Dakota followed his gaze and leant back slightly so he could hear over the loud chatter of the cafeteria. "I think its soup, but it looks more like puke."

"I agree with you there."

They shuffled along the behind the other agents filling their plates with food. "I love Fridays." Sam sighed sitting down at their usual table.

"Cos of the fish and chips?" Dakota asked.

Sam nodded and took a huge bit of the battered cod. "You know." he said as he chewed. "I think I'm rubbing off on you."

"Why?" Dakota asked raising an eyebrow.

"You just said fush and chups. You're definitely turning back to a full fledge kiwi."

"Good." Dakota grinned squeezing a blob of tomato sauce on her plate.

"Someone's heading our way." Sam said looking past Dakota and at Kerry who was walking over, looking determined and holding her own tray of fish and chips.

Dakota glanced over at Kerry. "This is going to be fun." she said sarcastically.

Sam nodded. "Definitely."

Kerry placed her tray on the table and sat down next to Dakota, tucking strands of hair behind her ears she tucked into her meal. Sam and Dakota stopped eating and watched Kerry in silence.

Dakota cleared her throat. "What are you doing?"

Kerry swallowed her food and looked into Dakota's blue eyes. "What does it look like? I'm eating."

"Aren't your friends over there?" Dakota said jabbing her thumb in the direction of the table which was surrounded by the likes of Bruce and Kyle.

"No one of them is here." Kerry said.

Dakota nodded slowly. "Right." she muttered returning her attention back to her food.

Sam sat in silence and watched the body language of the two girls. Kerry was sat rather relaxed while Dakota was stiff, her eyes darting sideways. Dakota lifted her gaze and caught Sam staring.

"What do I do?" she mouthed.

Sam shrugged.

They ate in silence not one speaking another word to the other. Once they had finished eating Sam stood up and picked up his tray.

"Well I'll leave you guys to it." he said to a rather alarmed looking Dakota.

Dakota watched Sam leave the dining room; she didn't want to be left on her own with Kerry.

"I've forgiven you, about James and everything." Kerry said.

Dakota stood up and picked up her tray. "You're only saying that because I got stuck in a coma."

"No I'm not!" Kerry exclaimed standing up quickly, and jogging to keep up with Dakota's long strides.

"Well sure looks like it." Dakota muttered dumping her tray and heading out of the building.

"Can't you be nice? Like allow someone to try and be friends with you?" Kerry asked as they walked across campus towards the little church.

"I have a good enough friend." Dakota replied staring stonily ahead.

"Oh, right Sam." Kerry said sarcastically. "And he's definitely is a good friend."

Dakota stopped and turned to Kerry. "Why is it that all of you hate Sam so much? What did he ever do to you guys?"

Kerry carried on walking. "Follow me."

Dakota sighed and followed Kerry to the old chapel. Etched into the stone at the entrance to the chapel were five names.

**Johan Urminski 1940-1954  
>Jason Lennox 1944-1954<br>Katherine Field 1951-1968  
>Thomas Webb 1967-1982<br>Dakota Costello 1996-2006**

Dakota traced the letters of her name. "That's a bit morbid." she muttered.

"You were the first agent to die in years." Kerry said.

"But I didn't die."

"All the evidence we found pointed to your death, we even found a body which matched your description."

Dakota shook her head. "What about DNA? Teeth?"

"The body had all its teeth crushed and the body was beyond DNA testing."

Dakota felt as if she had been punched in the stomach, she couldn't breathe. "So why bring me here?" she gasped.

Kerry sighed and leant against the old stone. "The reason no one likes Sam is that he is blamed for your death."

Dakota glanced over at Kerry bewildered. "What?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Bit of a cliff hanger there ;)**

**Where have you guys gone! I am missing your lovely reviews! Well this story isn't really getting anywhere fast. But it will eventually.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing *sigh***

**Reviews are appreciated.**

**Chur x**


	22. Why?

Dakota's mind was racing, she left Kerry to make her own way back as she sprinted across campus. Byt tye time she had run up six flight of stairs she was panting. Coming to a stop outside Sam's door ashe knocked three times.

"Yes?" Sam asked opening the door.

"Why are you responsible for my death?" Dakota panted.

Sam's gaze dropped to the floor and he looked uncomfortable. "I guess the truth would eventually be leaked to you."

"What happened?" Dakota said pushing past Sam and sitting down on the small couch next to his mini fridge.

Sam wandered over and sat next to her resting his elbows on his knees. "How much do you know already?"

"Only that you were responsible for my death or something?" Dakota said watching Sam closely. "I didn't want to hear it from Kerry."

Sam kept his gaze tained on the carpet in front of him. "I had excelled in my Russian classes, and I had just been recruited and been through my basic training. We all knew about your first mission, you were a legend. I was assigned to join you on the mission to Russia, at the last minute my friend and training partner Lucy asked me to join her on a mission in Las Vegas. We had been through so much together and I had a slight crush on her so I backed out of your mission and went to America instead. In a way I was slightly intimidated by your success. Maybe everything would have happened differently if I had been there."

Sam brought his gaze up from the carpet. Dakota stared at gim, her face was a mask, no emotions were showing.

"You can't help your feelings." Dakota said quietly.

"You're not mad at me?" Sam asked.

Dakota shook her head. "There's no point really, you're my only half decent friend. And it was five years ago, can I really blame what happened to me on a ten year old?"

Sam let out a breath he didn't know he had been holdig. "You don't know how much I've been dreading telling you."

Dakota shrugged and took his hand in hers. "Well you don't have to worry about it now."

Sam shrugged, "I guess so." he stared at her hand which covered his, her nails were neatly trimmed however on some nails where the black nail polish had chipped away there were deep purple triangles going down the nail bed and on others the nail bed was lumpy and scarred. "What happened?"

"Huh?" Dakota asked.

"Your nails." Sam replied.

Dakota snatched her hand from his and rested them on her lap. "Russia." she muttered.

oOoOo

Dakota walked along the path clutching the backpack strap with one hand. The village of Atch Lench was silent, there were no streetlights and it was getting dark. She passed numerous houses where the people left their curtains open, thebright lights from inside the houses lit up the path before her.

Dakota quickened her step until she reach the house she wanted. Walking up the driveway she ran the plan back through her mind one last time before pressing the doorbell.

It was a minute before Claudia Paridge opened the door. "Yes?" she asked in a deep Southern American twang.

"Sorry, to bother you but my parents cars broken down. Can I borrow a phone?" Dakota asked placing her own American accent on.

"Is that an American I hear?"

Dakota nodded and smiled. "Born and bred from Brooklyn."

"Dallas, Texas." Claudia said stepping back inside the house. "Now why don't you come in here and I'll get you the phone."

Dakota stepped inside, she kicked off her shoes and walked into the lounge. It was exactly the same as it was on the recording.

"Take a seat dear, here is the phone." Claudia said walking into the room and sitting on the seat opposite.

"Thanks." Dakota sat down and typed in Sam's cell phone number.

"Hello?" Sam asked.

"This the AA?

"What? Who is this?" Sam asked. "Oh right! Yes, yes it is."

"My parents car broke down outside Atch Lench, Worcestershire. My dad said it was something to do with the battery?"

"Right we will send someone over shortly."

"Thank you."

As Dakota ended the call she wiped the phones history, and passed it back to Claudia.

"Your parents waiting by the car?" she asked.

"Yeah." Dakota nodded. "Cell phones dead, and dad thought that if I stayed by the car it would get stolen."

Claudia chuckled. "Well at least the AA is on the way."

"Do you mind if I use the bathroom? It usually takes at least an hour until the AA actually arrives."

"Of course, up the stairs first door on the left."

Dakota walked out the room and up the stairs, they creaked with each step. The landing was worse. Dakota knew she wouldn't be able to get to the master bedroom without letting Claudia downstairs know about it.

She walked into the bathroom and locked the door, climbing into the bath she walked the rest of the distance to the window without the floor creaking. Dakota pushed the stiff window open, and stuck her head out. The property backed onto empty fields so there was no one in sight. The window on her right was to the master bedroom, she knew that she could not spend time thinking about whether the drain pipe would hold her weight.

Dakota eased her way out of the window, until she was dangling from the window sill. She swung her leg out so it was on the other side of the drain pipe. In one fluid movement she let go of the window sill and clutched the drain pipe.

Reaching out with her left hand Dakota gripped the other windowsill, kicking off from the wall she swung out so she was dangling from the other window. Straining her muscles she held herself high enough to push the window open, she slid into the room and carefully down onto the floor.

She stood up slowly, letting her eyes adjust to the gloom of the darkened room. The small antique clock was sat on the dressing table, it was the whole reason she was breaking into the room. Lifting up one leg she leant forward, her fingers brushed the old wood. She wasn't close enough. Dakota shuffled a few inches forward until her hand enclosed the clock. She stepped back and placed the clock in her beg before returning her attention to the window.

In a matter of minutes she was back in the bathroom, she flushed the toilet and turned on the taps quickly before stepping out the bathroom. Dakota walked back down the stairs to where Claudia was waiting by the front door.

"Thank you for letting be use the phone." Dakota said slipping on her shoes.

"No problem sweetie." Claudia said.

Dakota smiled gratefully before stepping back out into the night, she turned left at the end of the street to where John Jones was sat in a minivan drinking a cup of tea from a thermos.

Dakota pulled open the door and sat in the passenger seat. "Get the clock?" John asked.

Dakota pulled the bag onto her lap and opened it. "Here we are."

"Good job. Now let's get you back home." John said.

They drove back to CHERUB campus in silence and at one point Dakota dozed off, only to be woken by the jolt of the van hitting a pot hole. They arrived back in the early hours of the morning; the sun was creeping into the sky as it tried the melt the January frost.

Dakota got out of the van and headed to the main building, she didn't see any point in going back to bed so she walked into the canteen. It was quiet as most students were still in bed. She asked the one chef for a bacon sandwich before pouring herself a glass of orange juice and sitting at a table.

A newspaper was lying at the table and began reading the first page; by the time her sandwich was brought to her she had finished the newspaper.

"One bacon sandwich on fifty fifty bread with ketchup." the chef said placing the plate before her.

"Thanks." Dakota said tucking into her sandwich.

James wandered over and sat across from her with a bowl of cereal; he picked up the paper and turned to the sports section.

"Didn't think you woke up so early." Dakota said.

James shrugged. "Punishment laps."

"For eloping with Dana?" she sniggered.

"I didn't elope!" James exclaimed scowling at Dakota from over the paper. "I was saving my mission."

"Sure." she muttered.

"Why are you here so early?"

Dakota wiped her mouth on her napkin. "Just done my practice mission."

"Did you win?"

"I won."

"Good." James said turning the page of the newspaper.

"I see you have finally got your black shirt."

James glanced up and grinned proudly. "Got it because Dana and I saved Ewart from getting fatally stabbed."

"What did you do to deserve the punishment laps?"

James shrugged. "Kerry and Dana were fighting over me, turned into a food fight."

"Shame I missed it." Dakota muttered.

"I've been told that if you accept help with math tutoring from me I can get out of punishment laps."

Dakota scowled at James. "What makes you think I need help?"

"Meryl seems to think you aren't using your full potential."

"Why should I help you get out of punishment laps?"

James scooped up the last of his cereal. "You," he said pointing his spoon at Dakota. "Need my help. Besides who else would be lax about what hours they do?"

Dakota sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Fine, but I get to choose the hours."

James shrugged. "That's fine by me."

Bruce walked over to where Dakota and James were sat talking. "James, Dana is looking for you."

James glanced up. "Where is she?"

"Her room I guess."

James sighed and got up from the table and headed out of the canteen. Bruce turned to Dakota once he had left.

"I have a small mission tomorrow." Bruce said. "The usual plant a listening device and leg it before anyone comes."

Dakota looked over at Bruce. "Go tell someone who cares."

Bruce looked hurt. "I was going to ask you to join me, but it seems you have better plans." he got up and headed out the canteen.

Dakota got up after him and jogged up behind him. "Bruce wait." she grabbed his arm and turned him to face him.

"Just leave it." Bruce said snatching his arm from her grip and turning on his heel.

Dakota sighed and reached to grab his arm again, this time she swung him round so he crashed into the wall.

"Jesus! What is your problem!" Bruce exclaimed struggling beneath Dakota's arm which held him pinned to the wall.

"Look I want to apologise." she said.

Bruce gave off an exasperated chuckle. "By pinning me to a wall?"

"It's the only way I will get your full devoted attention." Dakota shrugged.

"Spill."

"Sorry for being a cow earlier, I don't like people going on about their missions. It just makes me feel even worse about not being able to go on them." she said unpinning Bruce from the wall. "Just know if Zara will allow it, I wouldn't mind joining you on the mission even if it is small."

Bruce nodded. "Thanks, and I'll see what I can do."

Dakota smiled. "Will I be seeing you in the Karate session later?"

"Of course." Bruce said.

"Well see you later." Dakota said walking out into the morning sunshine and heading down to the swimming pool. She hadn't been able to go near the water since her flashback which almost caused her to drown. Dakota walked past the kiddies pool where a few red shirts were splashing about and on towards the biggest pool there was. Diving boards towered in the air at one end of the pool and smaller ones at a different end.

Dakota walked to the edge of the pool and stared into the water.

"You going to be swimming or what?"

Dakota turned to see Kerry walking into the room with a bag slung over her shoulder.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Didn't bring any togs."

"It's swimming costumer over here." Kerry said. "But I have a spare pair and if you don't fit them Gabrielle is on her way down and she always has a spare."

Dakota sighed. "I don't see what harm it could do."

Dakota ended up borrowing Kerry's spare pair of togs, the water wasn't as bad as Dakota feared and she was soon stood on the highest diving board. Kerry and Gabrielle were small in the water bellow.

"You ready?" Kerry shouted squinting at her friend.

"Yeah!" Dakota said peering down. "Now get out my way!"

Gabrielle and Kerry swam to the side of the pool, once out Kerry ran over to her bag and pulled out her mobile phone, she held it over her head.

"Ready." She said pressing the record button.

Dakota stepped backwards away from the edge of the board, she then took two steps forward and curled her toes over the edge. She held her breathe as she jumped. She curled her body as small as it would go as she felt the sickening pulse as she sumersolted through the air. Seconds before she hit the water she straightened out, the water was cold and bubbles erupted around her face.

Dakota glided through the water for a moment before resurfacing and swimming to the poolside where Gabrielle and Kerry were stood whooping and cheering.

"I forgot how good you were!" Gabrielle said.

"So had I." Dakota said. "I thought I would've lost it, but I guess not."

Lauren and her friend Bethany wandered over. "That was well good." Lauren said.

"Thanks." Dakota said pushing herself out of the water.

Bethany scowled slightly. "I'm I can do better."

"Really?" Lauren said turning to her friend. "I didn't know you dived?"

Bethany shrugged. "Anyone can dive."

Bethany walked to the end of the pool and started climbing up the ladder which lead to the top diving board.

"Be careful!" Dakota called.

Lauren groaned. "Sometimes I think Bethany over kills it."

"How do you mean?" Kerry asked.

"She hates others being better than her."

Bethany had reached the top of the diving board and was stood at the edge. Dakota took Kerry's phone and started recording. Bethany left the board and shot through the air, somersolting atleast twice. Dakota felt the bile rise in her throat as she watched the grey shirts form, she knew before she hit the water that she didn't have the time or technique to straighten out and hit the water safetly.

There was a scream as Bethany hit the water, Dakota chucked Kerry's phone on the side before diving into the water. In a few strokes she was beside the crumpled girl, she lifted her head above the water and swam to the side.

"Oh god." Bethany moaned.

Kerry and Gabrielle lifted Bethany out of the water and lay her on the wet tiles.

"I'm going to get help." Lauren said hurrying out the pool.

"Where do you hurt?" Kerry asked the sobbing girl.

"My back and my leg." Bethany cried.

Dakota glanced at Bethany's leg, it looked straight except for a purple lump which had formed on her sin. "Shit."

"What!" Bethany exclaimed. "How bad is it?"

"Shit." Dakota repeated.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Tiny wee bit of an anti-climax**

**I hate Bethany. Don't ask why, I just do. I think it's her character but she never really made it tops on my list.**

**I'm on summer holidays now! Apart from Prom tomorrow and exam results day in August I have nothing to do! Except write fanfiction of course...**

**I am going to try get a summer job, or else I may return back to school hairless as I would've pulled it all out due to boredom.**

**So far this holidays I have reread the WHOLE Cherub series for your guys benefits, so its more up to date and technical and whatever.**

**RIGHT**

**Sooo should I put Dakota's new mission on this story or create a whole new one?**

**AND**

**Should I do a kind of prequel where you guys learn about what actually happened in Russia?**

**^^Please answer the above questions ASAP**

**Thanks :)**

**x**


	23. Doomed

The shrill beep of Dakota's alarm clock brought her out of the dark realms of sleep. She knocked to the alarm to the floor and rolled out of bed. After a quick breakfast she headed down to the car park where Ewart was leaning against a sleek black Audi.

"Bruce not here yet?" Dakota asked dumping the rucksack on the floor.

Ewart shook his head and sighed. "No, and we're running late."

Dakota glanced at her watch it was ten to seven. "Shall I go look for him?"

"Please." Ewart said spinning the keys round his fingers.

Dakota headed back towards the main building and ducked her head in the canteen; it was empty except for the few students eating an early breakfast. Bruce was nowhere to be seen so Dakota headed to the lift. Once on the sixth floor she walked to Brice's room, his door was unlocked and Dakota let it swing open.

"Oh for the love of god!" she exclaimed covering her eyes.

Bruce's lips were attached to Kerry's who wasn't wearing her usual navy shirt. At the sound of Dakota's entrance they broke apart as if they had been electrocuted. Kerry scrambled about and grabbed her top from the floor beside the bed.

"Dakota! What are you doing here?" Kerry gasped her cheeks red.

Dakota glanced through her fingers at the couple. "Bruce is late for his mission."

"I'm so sorry!" Bruce said reaching for his jumper. "I completely lost track of time."

"I can tell." Dakota said sourly. "You're lucky Ewart sent me, and not anyone else."

"Well I'll see you later Bruce." Kerry said kissing his cheek and heading past Dakota. "Dakota."

Dakota nodded. "See you."

Bruce and Dakota walked back to the lift in silence. "If you were meaning James finding out, he already knows."

"Really?" she asked.

Bruce nodded. "Yeah, he kind of barged in. It was so funny seeing his expression."

"I will never understand boys." Dakota tutted slipping into the back seat of the car.

"You will someday Dakota." Ewart said starting the engine and pulling away from the curb.

"Let's hope so." She muttered.

They were almost at Evesham when Bruce passed a Morrisons bag to Dakota. She took the bag to find it filled with clothes and make-up.

"What's all this?" she asked.

"It's a bust up mission." Bruce said pulling a crowbar from his bag.

"Okay." Dakota nodded pulling out a pair of baggy track pants. "Bruce, look away I don't want you perving."

Bruce covered his eyes as Dakota rustled the bag beside him. He did risk a sneaky glance sideways and was pleased with what he saw before an oversized nike shirt was pulled down.

"You can look now." Dakota said pulling the makeup out and starting applying it.

Bruce uncovered his eyes and shuffled in his seat. By the time they had reached Evesham Dakota was all made up, wearing half the foundations contents on her face a long with a thick layering of mascara, lip gloss and eye liner.

They drove the British countryside and into the town of Evesham. The tall brick buildings towered into the blue skies. A few students in uniform milled around the streets along with harassed mothers and balling children. Ewart pulled up on the high street, blocking a bus lane. There were a few annoyed honks of horns which Ewart flicked off with a two fingered salute.

"I'll see you kids in an hour." Ewart said as Dakota slammed the door shut.

"You nervous?" Bruce asked straightening his tie.

Dakota glanced over at him. "No, not yet."

"Don't be." Bruce grinned. "It's gonna be a breeze."

"Don't jinx it you twit."

Bruce chuckled as the pair headed down the High street. "I forgot about all your little superstitions."

Dakota elbowed Bruce in the ribs. "Shut it, unless you want broken nose."

The early morning drizzle was holding off, but the sky was a deep grey. Dakota pulled out the ear piece as they walked and put it in her ear.

"Testing." Dakota said.

There was a moments silence before Ewart replied. "Hearing you loud and clear."

Bruce did the same before pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. They rounded the street corner and Bruce came to a stop, Dakota walked on oblivious to the fact Bruce was no longer at her side. When she realised she stopped and retraced her steps.

"This the place?" she asked stopping beside Bruce.

Bruce nodded frowning at the piece of paper with the address on it. "Just looks slightly different from the surveillance pictures, I didn't see a big skip in the front lawn before."

Dakota pressed the radio in her ear. "Ewart?"

"Loud and clear." Ewart responded.

"There is a skip in front of the house. It's completely thrown Bruce."

Ewart sighed. "Go on as normal."

"Okay." Dakota said.

Dakota glanced over at Bruce. "You ready? We're wasting daylight and I don't want to hang around too much."

Bruce shook his head. "Right of course!"

They headed up the path to the front of the house, Dakota rang the door bell and after nobody answering they deemed it safe. Bruce pulled the crowbar out his pack and wedged it between the door and its frame. Dakota stood covering him. There was a loud crack as the door splintered and swung open.

They entered the fairly large house. The owners Jason and Pauline Smith owned the house, with their three daughters Chloe, Terry and Elly. Mr Smith was known for possible links with Help Earth.

"You go upstairs, plant bugs, check out the computer, trash the place. I'm going to go through all the bank statements." Bruce whispered.

Dakota nodded and slipped upstairs, she walked into each room checking in the wardrobes and under the beds to see if anyone was hiding. She trashed each room that she walked into. Smashing set of snow globes in Chloe's room, throwing an alarm clock into the bedroom mirror and throwing the potted plant at the wall. Dakota grabbed the money box and tipped out all the coins onto the carpet, she scooped them up and placed them in her pocket before kicking the desk chair over and picking up the laptop and placing it in her bag. She did the same in Terry and Elly's room taking whatever she deemed valuable while trashing whatever wasn't. She then headed into the office, walking straight towards the computer she turned it on and pulled the portable hard drive out of her pocket.

Once the computer had recognised the software for the drive she started to copy all the documents. There was nothing terribly important but while she waited the anxious five minutes when it copied Dakota started trashing the office. She ripped the books off the shelves and picked up an antique vase and threw it against the wall where it shattered into hundreds of small pieces.

The computer beeped and Dakota headed back over, everything was covered but a security warning had popped up.

TAMPER ALERT. STARTING SECURITY OVERRIDE.

Dakota held her breath as she half expected a siren to break out, instead the screen went black and lines of green code appeared. Quickly reading the text she soon realised what was happening. With one hand she quickly began typing as fast as her hand would allow while pressing her finger to the radio.

"Ewart?" she whispered.

"Yes?" Ewart asked.

"We have a slight problem."

"What?"

Dakota didn't get to finish her sentence as the computer started bleeping, a timer came up. Counting down the minutes, ten minutes soon turned to nine.

"Shit." Dakota gasped leaping up from the computer while grabbing the hard drive. "Bruce!" she shouted running out onto the landing, she tripped on a book she had thrown earlier.

Bruce popped his head round the door of the lounge grinning. "This is great! Just ruined a forty inch plasma screen."

Dakota practically screamed at him. "I don't freaking care! Get your butt up here."

Bruce realised something was wrong and came bounding up the stairs two at a time and followed Dakota to the computer. He glanced at the timer now on four minutes.

"Woah." he muttered. "What's that?"

"A bomb." Dakota said simply. "I can't see any wires so I'm taking a wild guess and saying the bomb is built into the computer."

Bruce swallowed hard. "What?"

"You heard me" Dakota said, she ran a hand through her hair as she tried to rack her brain for anything which could kill the computer. All the things she thought up involved creating a virus which could at least take an hour and then initiating it would take about ten minutes of code. She didn't have the time.

"What are we going to do?" Bruce asked his voice shaking.

"I don't know." She muttered. A thought struck her. "Do you watch porn?"

Bruce turned to face Dakota. "Shouldn't we be worrying about the bomb?"

Dakota rolled her eyes. "There's a virus going round school computers, mostly guys. It kills the computers, the buys aren't owning up to what it is. Do you know?"

Bruce blushed a deep shade of red. "Yeah."

"What is it?"

"What? Why do you want to know?"

"What site is it?"

Bruce scratched his head. " "

Dakota raised her eyebrows. "Seriously?"

"Shut up."

Dakota grinned and leaned over the keyboard. Quickly typing in a bit of javascript she brought up google, typing in the html address she hit enter. She could feel the drips of sweat sliding down her forehead, her hands were clammy. A video popped up and she hit play, gruesome pictures filled the screen before streaks of colour filled the screen. Smoke billowed out the side of the computer as the screen went black.

Bruce glanced between the screen and Dakota, there was thirty seconds and counting. He couldn't breathe, he expected his life to flash before his eyes but it didn't. He only thought of the things he never had the guts to do. The clock reached ten seconds and Bruce couldn't stand it, he reached for Dakota and turned her to face him. Her eyes were wide and she looked truly frightened. Bruce closed his eyes and leant in, his lips met hers briefly before he pulled her against him. Her hands clawed at his hair as they kissed. There was a beep and the sprung apart staring at the computer. Ten seconds was over. An acidic smoke now seeped out the sides of the computer.

Dakota ran a trembling hand through her hair. "I think I stopped it."

Bruce smiled relieved. "I thought we were gonners."

"So did I." Dakota said her eyes streaming from the acidic smoke. "That was some virus."

Bruce pressed the radio. "Ewart?"

"What happened? Are you okay?" Ewart said his voice strained.

"Dakota just diffused a bomb."

"What?"

"Yeah we're thinking of finishing up. Should we bring the computer?"

"Yes." Ewart said.

Bruce turned to Dakota. "You want to go smash around upstairs while I get this computer into my bag?"

Dakota shook her head. "You go, I'm fine here. I only had the master bedroom and bathroom to go."

"You sure?" Bruce asked watching Dakota closely, her usual calm exterior was broken and he could tell she was shaken up. He wasn't feeling much better and his heart was hammering in his chest. He quickly left the room and headed to the bedroom.

Dakota sunk to the floor her legs unable to hold her up. She had been close to dying; she stayed rooted to the floor as a memory shifted through the back of her mind.

_The cold wind drifted in through the empty window, Dakota lay slumped on the ground she watched the object before her. It was a bomb with no counter it had been placed there before the guards had left. She didn't know how long she had and didn't want to find out, but she couldn't move. Her body ached and her limbs were stiff. Instead she dragged herself to the furthest corner away from the bomb and turned to face the wall. Tears streaked her face. This was it. She was as good as dead. Two breathless minutes felt like hours before the room exploded. Her back burned as she shrunk against the bricks, rubble tumbled from the ceiling as her world turned black._

"Dakota? You okay?"

Dakota forced her eyes open to see Bruce staring down at her, his hands resting on her shoulders. "Yeah fine." She said standing up. Bruce still didn't let go of her shoulders. "I'm fine." She repeated.

Bruce stepped back and scooped the computer into his arms. "You take the screen and keyboard."

Dakota picked up the screen, keyboard and mouse before stiffly following Bruce out of the house. Ewart's car was sat in the drive way and they slipped inside before the tires screeched and they were back on the road.

"You okay?" Ewart asked glancing back at the two agents who were sat in the back seat. They were both pale and staring at the floor.

Dakota nodded keeping her gaze on the carpet. "Do you have any face wipes or makeup remover?"

"In the Morrisons bag." Ewart said turning back to the road.

Dakota pulled out the face wipes and wiped of all traces of makeup. The drive back to campus seemed to take an age, it was getting late and Bruce had drifted into an uneasy sleep. Dakota however couldn't sleep; her mind was going at a hundred miles an hour, thinking up all the possible scenarios of what would have happened if the bomb had gone off. Just as it turned five'o'clock Ewart pulled into CHERUB campus.

"I expect a detailed report of what happened on my desk by tomorrow morning, okay?" Ewart said. "Leave all that in the car, you guys go get a good night's rest."

Dakota nodded silently and got out of the car, Bruce did the same and walked next to Dakota. "You sure you okay?"

"Please stop asking."

Bruce shrugged. "Sorry, but you looked real freaky."

"I was just thinking."

"You were pale and looked as if you were about to puke." Bruce said.

"I wasn't okay!" Dakota said angrily kicking at tuft of grass in the path. "Just cos we kissed, doesn't mean you have to go all lovey dovey and carey."

Bruce scowled at the ground. "Well I'm sorry if I offend you so much."

Dakota sighed. "Sorry, just I don't want to talk about it."

"It's fine." Bruce said. "Just don't go telling Kerry about what happened, I don't want to hurt her like James did. Plus she is my first girlfriend and I don't want my friends to tease me again."

Dakota nodded. "It was a life and death situation. It won't happen again, so there is no need to worry."

Bruce felt his hopes shatter. "Yeah of course."

"Shall we make a deal?" she said. "We never speak of this again? This whole mission?"

Bruce nodded. "Sounds good to me."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Soooo did you see that happening? **

**Sorry for the retardedly late update. Thank you for the constant brilliant reviews. They are what keeps me going! And yet again I ask, should her mission be on this story? And first or third. I think I can get a more detailed chapter in third and it seems most of yous like third. Well peeps review and I'll update. **

**Who should she end up with? Sam, James or Bruce? I want to hear your thoughts.**

**Ta very muchly**


	24. Mission

**A/N:**

**Don't worry I didn't forget about this story :) just needed a wee break because of school and A-level's starting. But you shall be warned, this is being continued but they will be random updates! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>One week later<strong>

Dakota rummaged through her stuff. Her room was never tidy, but when she found a spider creeping along the wall she couldn't help but give her room a thorough clean. Except her messy room was an organised mess, when it was clean she couldn't find nothing.

"Bloody hell." she groaned throwing a chemistry book against her bedroom wall. "Where the hell are you?"

There was knock followed by a voice. "What you looking for?"

Dakota glanced up to see Kerry hanging in the doorway. She groaned and kicked her bed. "I've spent the last ten minutes searching for my bloody proxy homework."

Kerry stiffled a chuckle as she watched her friend rummaging. "Where did you last see it."

Dakota paused and racked her brain. "It was on my desk but its not there anymore."

Kerry wandered over to Dakota's desk, there was a pile of papers covering the surface. She sifted through the various physics, maths and history notes before reaching for Dakota's bag which was left carelessly on the floor. "It's in here."

Dakota whirled round to face Kerry. "Eh?"

Kerry waved the five pages of chemistry in the air. "I believe this looks like chemistry."

"You are a star!" Dakota sighed happily taking the homework out of Kerry's hand and putting it back in her bag.

"We best get to class, or we're gonna get some killer laps." Kerry muttered. Dakota slipped her bag over her shoulder before following her out of the room. They headed along the cherry blossomed path towards the educarion building.

Kerry and Dakota took seats near the back of the room.

"Where's Sam?" Kerry asked.

Dakota shrugged. "I think he has double Biology."

Kerry nodded and returned to putting her sole concentration into working out the empirical formula. "Do you like him?"

"Do I like who?" Dakota asked.

"Sam."

Kerry watched her friend as she blushed slightly before shrugging. "I guess, as a friend."

But Kerry knew better, Dakota usually had a lot to say about anything and everything. She never shrugged it off unless she was in a mood, and Kerry was certain that they had finally got past the hating each other and started the baby steps into friendship.

"You so do like him, it's obvious." Kerry chortled.

If looks could kill, the glare Dakota sent to Kerry would have left her beyond dead. "I do not!"

"Look," Kerry said diplomatically. "You're in denial, that is the first sign of a crush."

Dakota rolled her eyes. "And I'm taking advice from someone who has had an on/off again relationship with a pig?"

"Not anymore, I'm in a steady relationship with Bruce."

The teacher loomed before the two girls, "I hope that is Chemistry you two are talking about?"

Dakota nodded. "It is sir, I'm just explaining to Kerry how to work out reacting masses."

Kerry nodded eagerly.

The teacher gave them a stern glance through his beady eyes before returning to the front of the class, ready to pounce on the two boys at the front of the room making paper airplanes.

Once Dakota was certain the teacher was out of ear shot she turned back to Kerry. "Why Bruce?"

"He's sweet." she said.

"And?" Dakota pressed.

"That's it!"

Dakota shook her head. "Are you dating Bruce to get back at James?"

Kerry averted her gaze to the table and said nothing.

"Oh, you meanie! Poor Bruce is going to be gutted when Dana breaks up with James."

"What says I'm gonna end up with James again anyway?"

"It's soo obvious you two fancy each other."

"Like you and Sam."

"I do not like him in that way!"

The more and more times Dakota denied having feelings for Sam, the more obvious it became. She did like him, more than she was ready to let on.

By the end of the day Dakota was ready to curl up and fall fast asleep, but she knew she wouldn't be able to because of the mountains of homework. Kerry's twenty questions had worn her out and she was happy to lie on her bed and forget about everything. Just as Dakota was falling asleep her phone rang.

"Hello?" she said after fighting the phone out of its cradle.

"Zara wants you, she says its urgent." Meryll said.

Dakota sat up. "Where?"

"The mission control room." Meryll said with a hint of a smile in her voice.

"Okay." Dakota put the phone down and practically ran out of her room. Her mind was swirling with all the possibilities of why she was needed in mission control. The one it burned down to was, had she finally got her mission? She didn't want to let her hopes get the better of her, but once she had gotten through the retina scan and was heading to Zara's office she felt like being sick she was so nervous.

Dakota paused by the door before knocking. Swallowing the bile which had risen in her throat.

"Come in." Zara said.

Dakota ducked into the room, Zara was sat behind a desk, John Jones was leaning against the window sill, and James's younger sister Lauren was sat in a chair.

"Hello Dakota, take a seat." Zara said pointing to the empty chair next to Lauren. Once Dakota was sat in the chair Zara continued. "I assume you know why you're here?"

Dakota swallowed. "I have a mission?"

Zara nodded and gave her a smile. "Read through this briefing, it's yours if you want it."

**CLASSIFIED**

MISSION BREIFING:

FOR DAKOTA COSTELLO AND LAUREN ADAMS

DO NOT REMOVE FROM ROOM 812

DO NOT COPY OR MAKE NOTES.

_CHILDREN IN THE CRIMINAL GAME:_

_Many children are used in the underworld's of crimminals. They are used in a similar light to CHERUB, police believe that the children are victims of thugs and get light punishments unlike adults who get lengthy prison sentences._

_TYLER POOLE:_

_1979 - Tyler Poole was born in Birmingham, United Kingdom to parents Louise and Simon Poole._

_1985 - Tyler Poole was enrolled in Zen-Shin Martial Arts Academy, where Simon Poole was a Sensai._

_1994 - Tyler was suspended from school after getting his 15 year old girlfriend Isabella Corfu pregnant. Nine months later Tyler became father to Katy Corfu-Poole._

_1996 - Tyler left school after failing his AS Levels aged 17, he was later charged on substance abuse and earned two years young juvenile._

_1999 - After being let out of prison, Tyler rekindled his romance with Isabella Corfu, and they had their second child Hannah Corfu-Poole._

_2000 - Tyler, Isabella and the children moved to Los Angeles California. There he joined Tenshin-Kai Tae Kwondoe and became a Sensai._

_2001 - He married his wife Isabella Corfu, they married in Las Vegas._

_2002 - Tyler Poole bought out Tenshin-Kai Tae Kwondoe and became the sole owner._

_Within theyears following Tyler's move to Los Angeles, it was believed he loved a happy life training young children in Tenshin-Kai Tae Kwondoe. In recent months it is believed that Tyler Poole has been using his martial arts academy to house illegal activities._

_The LAPD believe that Mr Poole is dealing drugs, selling and repairing heavy arms and using his pupils to deliver the goods. However LAPD do not believe the children are working for Mr Poole but are victims of bribery._

_THE MISSION:_

_CHERUB will send two highly qualified agents to Los Angeles, there they will befriend Mr Poole's children. We hall enrol them in the Alexander Hamilton High School and Tenshin-Kai Tae Kwondoe to increase chances of friendship forming between the agents and their targets._

_Lauren Adams (13) - Hannah Poole (13)_

_Dakota Costello (15) - Katy Poole (15)_

_Dakota Costello and Lauren Adams will pose as sisters with recently divorced father John Jones. John has come out of a sudden divorce and has moved to California in a chance to move on with his life. The agents will keep their first name but change their surnames, it is as follows._

_Lauren Adams - Lauren Riley_

_Dakota Costello - Dakota Riley_

_John Jones - John Riley_

_NOTE:_

_ON THE 26TH MARCH 2011 THIS MISSION PLAN WAS ACCEPTED BY THE CHERUB ETHICS COMMITTEE BY UNANIMOUS VOTE, ON CONDITION THAT DAKOTA COSTELLO AND LAUREN ADAMS UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING:_

_This mission has been classified MEDIUM RISK. The Agent's are reminded of their right to refuse to undertake this mission and withdraw from it at any time._

Dakota placed the papers back down on the table. Her hands were shaking and her mind was spinning. "So would you like to do it?" Zara's voice sounded faint and it took a moment for her to comprehend what she had heard.

"Uh, yeah I think I will." Dakota said.

"Are you sure? I can give you the evening to think about it?" Zara said

Dakota shook her head quickly. "No I'm pretty sure about it."

Zara smiled and nodded. "You two need to be packed and ready to leave by eight in the morning, pack for four weeks."

Lauren shot out of her seat. "This is going to be so wicked!" she exclaimed.

Dakota stood up. "Well I guess I need to bid farewells."

Dakota walked towards the door and was halfway out when Zara called her back. "Dakota?"

She turned back to Zara, "Yeah?"

Zara looked at her with a sort of sorrowful look. "If it gets too hard to cope at any time, you know we're all here to talk."

Dakota nodded and gave a strained smile. "I'll try to remember."

"Good luck." Zara said.

Dakota smiled again and left the Mission Control building, she headed towards the canteen. After filling her plate with steak and chips she headed over to Sam.

"Kill me now." she grumbled sitting down opposite Sam at their usual dinner table.

"What?" Sam asked.

"I'm so tired." Dakota repeated stabbing her chip with her fork. "It's all your fault."

Sam grinned. "Well its not my fault you're tired."

"It so is."

"You were the one who suggested the Star Wars marathon, not me." Sam shrugged.

Dakota grumbled something before returning to her food. Sam glanced over to where Lauren was sat chatting excitedly to her friends.

"So?" he said.

Dakota glanced up from her food. "So, what?"

Sam was smirking at her. "I know you have something very important to tell me."

She stared at her plate of food. "How do you know already?"

Sam shrugged. "Lauren has a very loud voice, it carries."

"Seen as you forced it out of me." Dakota sighed. "I have a mission, I leave tomorrow morning."

"Huh," Sam nodded.

"Thought you would be happy for me." she said uncertainly.

"I am!" he insisted

Once Dakota had finished her meal she cleared away her plate and headed to her room. Sam had been quiet through dinner and had disappeared to his room shortly before she had left.

Dakota emptied clothes out of her drawers and wardrobe and lay them on the bed, folding the clothes she needed into neat piles. Once she had created a few outfits and spare clothes she took the suitcase out of my wardrobe. Dakota stuffed the clothes, shoes, chargers, books and electronics into it and zipped it shut, leaving a small space empty for shopping.

It was gone eleven when Dakota crawled into bed, her suitcase was packed and she was all ready to go. Her alarm went off at seven the next morning but she was already awake, she had woken up at four in the morning and she couldn't get back to sleep. Tired, she pulled on her travelling clothes which consisted of black skinny jeans, a paramore top, converse and a hoody.

Lauren joined her for breakfast and they sat in silence as they tucked into their scrambled eggs on toast. Lauren hadn't dressed for comfortable flying, she was in a skirt and singlet.

"You're going to freeze." Dakota said as they were stood in the lift.

Lauren glanced sideways. "It's going to be sunny when we get there."

"I know," She said. "But you do realise we have to drive to the airport and undoubtedly there is going to be some bloody cold air conditioning on the plane."

Lauren shrugged. "I have a jacket."

"See you in a bit." Dakota said stepping out of the lift on the sixth floor and heading to her room. The corridor was silent and she heard the occasional snore from some rooms as passed, there was some exceptionally loud snoring coming from James's room.

Dakota pushed her door open and kicked it shut behind her, she picked up her carry on bag and slipped it over her shoulder before dragging her suitcase to the door. She was about to open the door when there was a knock.

"Yeah?" Dakota asked as she pulled her door open. Sam was stood in the hallway, still in his pyjamas and his hair sticking up from sleeping on it. He looked slightly tired and worried.

"Oh, hey Sam." she smiled at him.

"Good luck on your mission." Sam mumbled.

"Thanks!" Dakota grinned. "Hopefully it will all go well."

"You know if you have any, um, thoughts..." Sam paused and glanced around. "Just ring me okay? I don't care if its the middle of the night."

Dakota smiled at him. "You are a great friend." she said quietly wrapping her amrs around him and fiving him a hug, Sam eagerly responded and pulled her close.

"I know, I'm irresistable." Sam chuckled.

"Oh shut up." Dakota laughed stepping back.

Sam kept his arms around Dakota's waist, stopping her from moving. He swallowed as he stared at her, she was frozen staring back unsure of what to do next. Sam squeezed his eyes shut and leant in and kissed Dakota. It was a soft kiss, and he pulled back just as quickly as he had moved in.

Sam cleared his throat and stared at the ground uncertainly. "Uh..." he murmured his cheeks turning read from embarrassment.

Dakota looked slightly shocked but she soon recovered. "Well I wasn't expecting that."

"Sorry, I probably shouldn't have done that. I've ruined everything haven't I?" he rambled.

Dakota shook her head. "No you haven't."

"Sure?"

She gave him a small smile. "As long you take me to a movie when I get back."

Sam grinned and ran a hand through his hair. "Sounds like a good enough plan."

"Great! Now I have to go catch that plane." Dakota said giving Sam a quick kiss.

"I'll be waiting here." Sam said.

"You had better be." Dakota grinned. "See you when I get back."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**There we go the next chapter! Hope youuu liked it!**

**One of my lovely reviewers gave me a great idea, Dakota should have a flaw she should overcome. One problem...what should it be?**

**Check out kfaatcee, I'm her Beta. She would like the reviews, boost her stamina and what not. :)**

**Revieeeewww xx**


	25. California

"Stop fidgeting!" Lauren growled.

Dakota let out a sigh. "Well I wouldn't be if you weren't trying to pull my hair out!"

"Shut up!" she exclaimed.

John Jones had heard the commotion and poked his around the bathroom door. Dakota had her head dangling in the sink while Lauren squirted hair dye over it. "Everything alright in here?"

"No." Dakota muttered "My hair is going to be so damaged after all this bleach."

"I don't see why I couldn't have gone black." Lauren added.

"What's decided is decided." John groaned walking out the bathroom. "Now don't disturb me unless your life depends on it."

"Bollocks!" Dakota exclaimed when Lauren tugged on her hair for the seventh time.

"Don't be such a wimp."

"Bitch."

Later that afternoon Dakota appeared in the kitchen as a blonde, she didn't like it. Too many memories were attached to the hair colour, too many hurtful thoughts. Too many thoughts she couldn't handle.

Dakota sat down at the dinner table, Lauren was sat on the couch watching T.V. John peeked up from behind his newspaper to check Dakota's hair.

"It looks pretty natural." John noted as he folded his newspaper and placed it on the table before him.

Dakota rolled her eyes. "It doesn't feel natural, it feels like straw!"

John shrugged and picked the camera off the table "Go stand against the wall, I need a passport picture."

She did as she was told and lent against the wall, in a matter of seconds John was back beside the computer hooking it with a USB and downloading the pictures.

Later that evening after dinner Dakota couldn't cope. It was too close, she needed more time. Maybe Zara had purposely picked something that would mess with her head? Dakota shut her new bedroom door and yanked the curtains closed, submerging the room in darkness.

Dakota picked her cell phone off her bed and sat on the floor between the bed and the wall. She could hear Lauren watching the T.V blaring away below her. Dakota typed the memorised number into the phone. She closed her eyes as she waited for it to ring. It almost reached the answer phone when it was answered.

"Hello?" Sam said.

"Hey." Dakota said.

"Oh hey Dakota! How is it?"

Dakota let out a long sigh and leant her head against the wall. "It's only been forty eight hours and already I don't feel great."

"What's wrong?" Sam's voice was filled with concern, something inside of Dakota fluttered.

She rested her hand on her forehead. "I had to dye my hair, blonde. There are too many memories attached to it." she mumbled. "When I see myself in the mirror, I don't see myself. I see Dakota Iskahov, I see my past..."

Sam was silent as he processed this information from the other end of the phone. "I would say accept it, move on, but I know it isn't that easy." he said. "Try looking at yourself in the mirror and listing all the good things which happened. Try to accept what happened has happened, don't dwell on the past. It doesn't help anyone."

"I know." Dakota said. "Sometimes it's hard."

"There have been times where I want to tey redo my past. Get over it, it was hard but eventually I moved past it." he said. "I would say I am a better person now but I can't be too sure."

"You're perfect." she whispered.

"Are you seriously going to be okay?"

"For now,"

"Want me to tell anyone? Want extra support."

"No." she said. "I just want your help, I feel anyone else just, they just don't seem to understand."

"I get you." Sam said. "I need to do my homework before bed. Mr Ricardo has set a horrid Spanish essay ready for next lesson."

"Well I shouldn't keep you away from it." Dakota said. "Besides, what time is it over there?"

Sam yawned, "Two in the morning but I don't mind."

"Shit! Sorry!"

"Ring me whenever, you know that."

Dakota smiled into the darkness. "Thank you Sam."

"No problem." Sam said. "Talk to you soon?"

"Sounds like a plan."

She hit the end call button and put the phone beside her. Dakota rested her head on her knees and closed her eyes. This mission was going to be hard and long.

They had to leave the house by eight in the morning, so Dakota was up at six. She needed time to prepare herself, standing in front of the mirror she listed all the good things from her time in Russia. She took out her lipstick and started writing.

_1. Fluent in Russian_

_2. Completed the task I had originally set out._

_3. Travelled to some beautiful cities and countries._

_4. Learnt about the ancient Russian history._

It wasn't much but it start. Dakota gave her reflection a smile. Her straight teeth grinned back at her. Her skin looked paler in comparison to the blonde hair and eyebrows, her usual sharp blue eyes were mellowed. She put on some mascara before putting on some clothes and heading downstairs. A sleepy Lauren was sat at the dinner table, she was resting her head on her hand and was looking slightly dazed. Her hair was falling into her cereal.

"Lauren?"

Lauren jerked her head up, splattering the table with milk. "Huh?"

"I was just about to say your hair was in your food." Dakota chuckled walking past the younger agent and into the kitchen, she poured herself a cup of tea and got a bowl of fruit loops.

Dakota sat down opposite Lauren and opened the paper, reading the usual terrorist attempts on the first page and moving towards the sports.

Lauren watched as Dakota flipped lazily through the paper, she tried to think of what the various staff and students had warned her. Dakota was unstable; she was at risk of a hiccup at any point. Lauren could see the scars on her wrists, faint disruptions on her wrists. They were pale and silky in the early morning sun, they looked like harmless scars but she knew they ran much deeper, they held darker secrets, darker moods that she would never understand.

"You alright?" Dakota asked.

Lauren dragged her eyes up to Dakota's face; her blue eyes were watching her curiously. "Eh? I'm fine, just trying to get to grips with this jet lag."

Dakota gave her a small smile. "It is pretty horrible; I woke up in the middle of the night wide awake."

Lauren nodded. "Yeah I heard you moving about."

"Oh sorry, did I wake you?"

"Nah, was already awake."

John appeared in the doorway looking tired and stressed. "What are you two still doing here?" he exclaimed bustling his way into the kitchen carrying a large briefcase. "The school bus arrives in ten minutes."

Dakota glanced down at her watch, the time had flown. It was time to leave. "Luckily I packed my bag last night." she said standing up and dumping her bowl in the sink and hurrying out of the room. Lauren followed suit, tripping on the Parisian rug which covered the smooth wooden floor.

They reached the bus with two minutes to spare. Lauren took an empty seat near the front while Dakota wrestled her way to the back. A lot of the boys and girls stared at her, she was fresh meat. Something new to sink their teeth into.

"You alright babe?" a lad from the back of the bus hollered.

"I'm fine sweetie." Dakota replied sitting down in an empty seat. The lad at the back was speechless as his friends whooped and cheered.

Dakota smiled, she was getting back into the swing of things.

The bus ride to the high school took no longer than twenty minutes. When Dakota got off the bus she headed through the big double doors with the rest of the students, instead of continuing to hang out with friends she veered off to the right and walked into a room marked 'school office'.

As soon as Dakota stepped into the room, all the ladies looked up from behind their mounds of paper work and computer screens.

"Can I help you?" the slightly overweight lady asked her from beside the door.

Dakota nodded. "Yes, I'm Dakota Riley. I'm new and was told to come here to collect my time table?"

The fat lady nodded, sending her brown perm into a flurry of hair. "I have it right here, let me see." she rifled through a stack of paper producing three sheet of paper. "This one here is your time table," she said handing her the first piece of paper. "This one is a map, and the other one is a letter to show to each of your teachers."

Dakota nodded and smiled. "Thanks."

"Your form is down the hall to your left."

"Thanks." She said taking the papers and heading out of the office and towards the classroom she had given to her. Dakota found the room easily and handed the first piece of paper to her form teacher.

"Mr Micahels." The overweight balding man said shaking my hand.

She smiled "Dakota Riley."

"Is that a British accent I hear?"

"Yes it is." Dakota said glad she had managed to drop her British/Russian/Kiwi accent mix up.

"Where in England?"

"Birmingham."

"I've been there once." Mr Michaels pointed to an empty seat at the back of the room next to Katy. "Take that seat there; I'm sure Katy would be happy to show you around."

Dakota walked over to where Katy was sat talking to one of her friends, she had read on her file that she was the sort of typical high school princess. Head of the Prom Comity, straight A*'s, she was the sort of student all teacher liked.

She gave Dakota a stereotypical American smile, perfectly straight white teeth. "Hi." She said in a strong California twang. Her short black hair was cropped at her jaw line, she looked slightly like Dakota's older sister.. "I'm Katy, this is my friend Jackie, but she prefers Jack."

"Dakota." she said sitting down and dumping her bag on the ground.

"So where have you moved from?"

"England" Dakota said. "Parents had a sick divorce, ended up here."

"I'm sorry, but it does get better." Jack said. "My parents split, but now I get double presents."

"I guess so." she said. "Do you know of any half decent Tae Kwando places around here?"

"You do Tae Kwando?" Katy asked.

Dakota nodded. "I'm a black belt now, and I don't really want to lose it just because my father can't be arsed to find a school."

Katy grinned at me. "Well you should be glad you found me, my dad owns a Tae Kwando academy down town."

"Great! When do you think I could start?"

"Our next training session is on Wednesday."

Jack sighed. "Here we go again, the boring Taw Kwando chatter. You shouldn't have started it."

"Shut up!" Katy gave her friend a light punch in her arm.

Dakota spent the rest of the day with Katy and Jack, they were both friendly and happily accepted her into their crowd of friends, the only other people were Jack's boyfriend Simon and Katy's gay friend who was called George.

By the time Dakota got on the bus she was worn out, Lauren got on not too long after Dakota and she looked equally as tired. She sat behind Dakota with a girl she had met during the day. George came and sat next to Dakota. They chatted the whole journey back to where Dakota's stop was, she almost didn't get off until George pointed it out.

Once Dakota was in the house she walked into the dining room to find John Jones sat before his computer.

"Taw Kwando starts Wednesday." She told him placing her bag on the table.

"Truly noted." John said.

"I'm going to go lie down. I'm exhausted." She passed Lauren in the hall. "How did you do?"

Lauren sighed. "Ugh, I think she thinks I'm a freak. I made a complete fool of myself; she's a popular kid and totally ignored me."

Dakota smiled sympathetically. "I doubt you've cocked it up, besides it's your first day."

"I guess so."

Dakota went upstairs and turned on her computer, she checked her email and she had only two new emails, one was spam and the other from Sam. She clicked on Sam's email.

_Hey, just emailing to make sure you're still alive after your first day. I enjoyed out chat the other day, hope it isn't too hard. Remember you can call me whenever, maybe not in lessons, but you get my drift._

_Sam_.

Dakota smiled and composed her reply, for once she was happy and didn't feel like the world was closing in on her. Maybe she was taking the first steps to recovery, maybe she was starting to outlive her past.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**The second to last chapter! Hope you enjoyed it :)**

**Question:**

**Should I put the sequel on this story or create a whole new one?**

**Review :)**

**x**


	26. Crumble

**Two weeks later**

Dakota walked into Tenshin-Kai Tae Kwandoe for the fourth time in one week. Since being hired by Tyler Poole early last week she had been spending most of her time in the Tae-Kwandoe Acadamey, setting up meets where Mr Poole would transfer illegal weapons or drugs, or she would spend a couple hours going through the paperwork. Dakota didn't mind the odd hours as it allowed her to collect incriminating images and place listening devices around the building.

Dakota was sat in the back of the storage room packing boxes with blocks of white powder when her phone buzzed from beside her. It was from Katy.

WANT TO HANG LATER?

Dakota quickly keyed in a reply.

CANT SORRY UR DAD HAS GOT ME WORKING TILL LATE

Katy's reply was instant.

I HATE HIM

Dakota sighed and put her phone in her pocket, she was half way through her third box of drugs when Mr Poole popped his head round the doorway. It was getting late and apart from the single light bulb dangling above her head it was pitch black.

"Riley." Mr Poole said walking into the room, his arms were covered in tattoos and he had the build of a boxer rather than a martial artist.

"Yeah?" Dakota replied.

"Get out now, the feds are on their way." he said. "Make sure you aren't seen, here is the money for this week."

Tyler Poole handed Dakota five rolls of notes which she gratefully stuffed in her back pockets. "Routine check?" she asked as she headed out if the back of the store room.

Tyler whirled round and bundled Dakota up against the wall. "I don't want no kid nosing around in my business."

"Sorry." Dakota gasped as she was thrown to the floor.

"You should be." Tyler growled walking past the young girl who lay on the floor. Little did he know that she was the one who had orchestrated the raid.

"Mr Poole?" Dakota called as she scrambled to her feet.

The older man turned back. "What?" he spat.

Dakota caught up with Tyler. "I was wondering if I could ask you a question."

He sighed. "Go ahead, but be quick."

"It's about Katy." she said twirling a piece of hair round her fingers nervously. "I'm worried, she's started taking some dope which her boyfriend Chris got her. I've tried stopping her but she won't listen."

Tyler Poole was stood frozen, his face torn between rage and worry. He had tried his whole life to keep his family seperate from the illegal trading he did, it was his worse nightmare. "Excuse me?"

Dakota nodded earnestly. "She didn't want you to know! It got really bad the other night, she was completely stonned!"

There was the sound of sirens in the distance and Dakota knew she had to think of a way to keep Mr Poole from escaping. Tyler heard the sirens and glanced down at the young girl.

"This talk isn't over." he said pushing past her.

"I know." Dakota muttered under her breath, she would only have a few minutes of surprise before Tyler would use his years of knowledge. She crouched down and sprinted towards Tyler's retreating figure, she kept low as she rugby tackled him. They went crashing to the floor and Dakota gasped out in pain as her knee caught the majority of the fall.

Tyler kicked out and sent Dakota sprawling, she leapt to her feet before he could send his knock out blow. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out the knuckle duster Bruce had sent her for her birthday, she slipped it over her knuckles before spinning around aiming her fist for Tyler's jaw, he ducked, but not quick enough. The metal spikes dug into his flesh and Dakota imagined the sickening tear as blood broke free of the skins restraints.

A low groan escaped Tyler's lips as he sunk to the floor. Dakota took and uneasy step backwards unsure what he would do next. She didn't have to wait long because soon there were voices and heavy foot steps. John Jones came sprinting around the corner.

"Go!" He panted stopping beside Tyler who was groaning on the floor. "You don't want to be here when the police catch up."

Dakota nodded and turned on her heel, sprinting down the hall. She rounded the corridor just as the police burst onto the scene. An empty room was off to her left and she ducked inside, silently cursing as her shoe squeaked on the lino floor. The room was dark but through the gloom Dakota could see a window, she crept forwards letting her hands feel for obstacles.

She was out of the window and hiding in the bushes when the police went past the room. The cool wind caused the trees to creak in the dark. Dakota pushed her hair out of her eyes and crept away from the bushes. She walked as if there wasn't blood on her hands, as if she hadn't just fought for her life, she was third party aware. No one bothered her until she got home.

Lauren came hurtling out of the kitchen when Dakota stepped into the hallway.

"It's all over the news!" she exclaimed throwing her arms around Dakota's neck. "Which means home in under two weeks!"

Dakota chuckled. "Seems like it!"

It was gone midnight when John Jones came rushing into Dakota's room. He had been awoken by a phone call from CHERUB, it had been urgent and he was already in street clothes when he burst into Dakota's room.

"Dakota?" he said.

"Eh?" Dakota groaned rolling over shielding her eyes from the light. "What's going on?"

"You need to be back at CHERUB as soon as possible. There is a flight leaving for Birmingham in four hours, you need to be on that plane."

Dakota sat bolt upright in bed. "What? Why? What's going on?" she exclaimed rubbing the sleep from her eyes and turning on her beside light even though it wouldn't do anything, it was just routine.

"I can't go into details, I wasn't even given details." John sighed.

"What about the mission? We've gotten really far?" she said. "I thought those pictures I got were good? Same with Tyler's arrest?"

"I'll tell Lauren to say something about you breaking down and needing to go home."

"So Lauren is staying here? It's something to do with me?"

John nodded. "I want you packed and downstairs in ten minutes."

He was out of the room before Dakota could even get out of bed. What was so urgent that she needed to be back at CHERUB for?

The flight back from California felt like an age, the drive back to campus even longer. Dakota felt like throwing up half the time. How had everything gone so bad so quickly? What was so bad that she needed to be sent home?

Dakota stepped out of Birmingham Airport to find Zara waiting for her; she gave her a smile and beckoned her over. Zara never collected people personally from missions. This was bad.

"What's going on?" Dakota asked as she came to a stop in front of her.

"I will tell you when we get back to Campus." Zara said looking at her sadly. She turned on her heel and began walking to the car park. Dakota almost slipped on the concrete floor as she struggled to keep up while also dragging her suitcase.

Sam was waiting outside the main building when Dakota arrived back at campus. It was late morning so everyone was in lessons. Maybe it was because she had spent three weeks away from Campus, but Dakota could've sworn she didn't remember how cute Sam was. His raven hair was as messy as usual, but it seemed different, hotter.

"Hey." Sam said giving her a hug and big smile despite the fact that she could see the sadness in his eyes also. What the hell was happening?

"What is it?" Dakota asked as Zara walked past the couple.

Sam shrugged. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you but I'll take your bags to your room so you can get to Zara's office quicker."

Dakota gave Sam's hand a small squeeze. "Thanks."

She left her bag with Sam and hurried after Zara. They walked to her office where Kerry and James were sat staring straight ahead, their eyes flickered to Dakota when she entered but they didn't say anything. Zara motioned her to the couch beside the fire and told Dakota to sit down. She did as she was told.

Maybe it was the warmth of the fire, but Dakota was starting to feel very hot. Zara reached for a file which was filled with paper. On the front was a picture of a girl, she had the same black hair as Dakota only it was cut into a short bob and was pin straight, her eyes were brown instead of blue. She was her sister.

"What?" Dakota asked not bothering with longer sentences. She doubted that she would be able to speak in complete in sentences anyway.

"This is a file on your sister, Danielle Costello. We kept a file on her ever since she left Cherub, we know what school she went to, what university. Everything, which is why you are here." Zara passed the file to Dakota and watched her, she stared back unable to say anything. "You went on a mission five years ago to Moscow Russia, to infiltate Silikov Industries."

"Yeah." Dakota murmered "What has that got anything to do with this?"

Zara let out a sigh. "Mr Silikov has taken your sister, obviously he thought it was you."

Dakota's whole world came crashing down in that moment, maybe it was the same moment her CHERUB career began to crumble. She couldn't breathe properly, she couldn't get enough oxygen. What if Silikov Industries were doing what they did to her? Would she still be alive?

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><p><strong>AN:**

**This will be either the last chapter or I will carry on the sequel in here.**

**Should I continue in the ending in this one or start afresh?**

**Review.**


	27. The End

**THE END**

**Since returning to CHERUB a year previously, Dakota has fought to keep her past at bay, keep her feelings burried in able to successfully move forwards. What happens when her past finds her and threatens to break what she has built up?**

**Her heart was breaking, her CHERUB career ending, she was saving her sister. There was no turning back. This was it.**

**COMING SOON...**

**Lost Sequel: New Beginnings.**


	28. New Beginnings

Dakota's whole world came crashing down in that moment, maybe it was the same moment her CHERUB career began to crumble. She couldn't breathe properly, she couldn't get enough oxygen. What if Silikov Industries were doing what they did to her? Would her sister still be alive?

"Dakota you need to calm down." Zara's face came in line with her vision, her hands were on the younger agents shoulder's.

"I can't breath," she whispered.

"I know." Zara said slowly. "Calm down, breathe in, hold it and then breathe out."

Dakota did as she was told and soon started to feel better. She glanced over her shoulder to see Kerry and James watching her slightly alarmed.

"Why are they here?" Dakota asked her voice cracking.

Zara glanced over at the two agents sat quietly in front of her desk. "They are going on a mission to rescue your sister."

"I need to go on that mission, they don't know how the Silikov clan works! And they don't know Russia!"

"It's too dangerous," she said.

"If it is, why did you bring me back?"

"We need to keep an eye on you, and have you on call for any information."

Dakota rolled her eyes. "I'm not doing it unless I can go and help."

Zara sighed. "Look, I know you feel the need to rescue your sister but it will be better in the long run if you wait." she watched Dakota cautiously. "Besides we have two of our best agents on the mission, two agents you undoubtedly trust."

Dakota stood up. "Well message me when something happens or you change your mind." She snarled storming out of Zara's office before she could call her back.

Dakota went straight to her room, almost knocking a red shirt over in the process. She found Sam waiting outside her room, he was leaning against the wall. When he saw her he snapped to attention.

"You alright?" he asked following her into her room.

Dakota face planted her bed and groaned into the duvet. "They won't let me go on a mission to save my sister," she mumbled lifting her head from the fabric. "I mean I still hate her cos she left but still, she's my sister."

"I know, I was surprised when they said you weren't allowed on the mission." Sam agreed.

Dakota groaned again. Sam walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "One good thing has happened out of this."

Dakota lifted her head . "Oh yeah?"

"You've come back early, it means you can go on that date with me."

She chuckled. "I guess so."

"Do you want to do it tomorrow? I mean it is Saturday and the shuttle is taking a bunch of us to the cinema."

Dakota smiled and sat up. "Might as well."

"Now will you be okay if I left you on your own? I don't want you burning down CHERUB or nothing when I'm in class." Sam said standing up.

"Don't give me ideas," she murmured

Sam gave Dakota's shoulder a squeeze. "Hang in there, it should be alright." he walked out the room and closed the door. It wasn't until he was gone that Dakota lay on her back.

"I hope so," she whispered a plan already forming in her mind.

At eleven the next morning Kerry and James stopped by to say goodbye to Dakota before they left, she just stared at them from beneath her covers.

"Look," Kerry sighed. "We're going to bring her back, okay?"

Dakota watched as Kerry paced the length of her room, James stood by the door not sure he wanted to interrupt.

"You should probably go, catch a flight or whatever," Dakota said.

"Yes, I believe I will," Kerry said giving her friend one more look before charging out of the room, James following quickly in her footsteps. Dakota could hear Kerry's annoyed moans as she headed down the hall.

Once Dakota was sure they weren't coming back she scooted out of bed and pulled the backpack from beneath her bed. It was filled with food, spare clothes and a knife and gun she had stolen the previous night. She took the walther p-22 pistol from her back and held it out in front of her, imagining what it would be like to finally see the bullet pass through Mr Silikov's head.

A knock at her door sent her into a mad panic as she stuffed the gun back into the pack and shoved it beneath her bed.

"Come in," Dakota called once she had settled herself back into bed.

Sam pushed the door open. "You ready to go yet? The shuttle leaves in half an hour."

"Yeah, I'll meet you down by the bus." she replied.

Dakota quickly got changed and slipped the backpack over her shoulder. She grabbed a muesli bar as she headed out of her room, she glanced back over her shoulder and took one last look at her room and hoped she wouldn't see it again any time soon.

Dakota tried to enjoy her date with Sam, she tried to be happy, enjoy the movie, but nothing could stop her from thinking about her sister. CHERUB had made a fatal mistake sending Kerry and James, they didn't truly know what Silikov Industries was capable of. They hadn't experienced it first hand.

It was getting late by the time the movie finished and Sam and Dakota were making their way back to the bus. Sam's hand slipped into Dakota's and he squeezed her fingers.

"You okay?" he asked.

Dakota bit her lip. "Come with me."

Sam stopped and turned to face Dakota. Other pedestrians and CHERUB agents carried on walking, no one noticed their sudden stop. "What?"

Her blue eyes were wide as she stared up at Sam. "Come with me," she repeated. "Come with me to Russia."

Sam's breath caught in his throat. "You can't go back."

"I have to, James and Kerry don't know what they are going up against," she said. "I have to go."

"You know I'm going to have to stop you? You will lose your CHERUB career," Sam pleaded. "What about everything you've worked so hard for?"

Dakota shrugged her eyes filling with tears. "All that stopped meaning something when Silikov Industries took my sister."

"Please," he said. "Stay for me."

Dakota watched as Sam's eyes filled with worry. "I'll be fine." she leaned up and kissed him, "Completely fine." she whispered against his lips.

"Don't." he said running a hand down the side of her face, tracing the tear which had escaped her restraints.

"I have to." she said. "I owe that much to my sister."

They stood in silence as Sam watched Dakota, hoping there was a way he could change her mind. He soon came to a conclusion, she was stubborn, there was nothing he could do. "Be safe." he whispered.

Dakota smiled up at him. "I will be."

Sam kissed her and then pulled her into a hug. "I don't want to lose you," he said into her hair. "I only just got you."

"I know."

Sam stepped back tears in his eyes. "Go, I'll make up some excuse. You will only have a few minutes."

"Thank you." Dakota said.

"Don't make me regret this."

"You won't."

Dakota turned away from Sam and walked back up the street, she couldn't turn back. She knew if she did she wouldn't be able to leave. Her heart was breaking, her CHERUB career ending, she was saving her sister. There was no turning back. This was it.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**I can't believe what I have just done. You guys better appreciate it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cherub.**

**Let me hear your thoughts in the reviews on whether or not I should continue the sequel here or as a separate story. Thanks..**

**ALSO: Do you prefer the first person narrative or it written like this chapter.**


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